The Tale of Three Legends
by constellation of kasterborous
Summary: A story about a lone Lucario and his quest to regain his family at all costs but when Celibi gets involved the Pokemon might find himself gaining a new family and friends. The choices he will be faced with could destroy the reality itself…
1. The Map Of Time - lucario

**My first story and if even one person reads this it will make my year (i'm not joking)**

 **I'm still in school so my grammar might be a bit off but I hope you guys/ghosts/tumble-weeds will find it onix-ceptable haha (I'm sorry)**

 **So without further ado….**

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I roared with pain as Dialga shot me with a crystal blue beam. It hit me full force and I went flying like a weak pidgey out of his temple. _Stupid Dragon Pulse!_ I thought. I sensed something big and powerful coming straight for me, and I quickly leapt out of the way just as a Draco Meteor exploded next to me. Dialga stood in the doorway to his Temple, eyes flaring, spikes raised.

"And the next time you try to steal my Time orb, I'll do far worse than this!" he roared, and I had to leap away from a swipe from one of his massive paws that was enhanced by the power of Dragon Claw. I raced away, and leapt through the rift in space that my friend, an Alakazam, had helped me open.

The Time Orb would let me go back in time, stop them. They'd taken him and he was all that I'd ever lived for. My master, Finn. For decades, we'd been inseparable. He raised my from a small Riolu, and I'd taught him how to use Aura. He'd given me a home and a best friend, my only family. But I awoke hundreds of years later with him long dead.

 _I needed him back_.

But there was no way I was getting Dialga's Time Orb. There was nothing else I could do. Nothing else could travel back through time, leave alone coming back again.

I leapt through space, coming back to earth in the middle of a desert. I recognised it and smiled. Then a frown came over my face, as something niggled at my senses.

Of course!

Celebi, the Voice of the Forest! The Pokemon of Time Travel!

Nobody had seen Celebi for years, save for the trees and a quick visit to Dialga to talk time business. Dialga may be the Keeper of Time, but Celebi was the Traveller.

But how to find her? Her Aura was very strong, but far too well cloaked for me to detect. How would I find her? More importantly, how would I convince her to sing, and take me back in time?

Too many questions. I wanted answers. Mysteries annoyed me. They were made to be solved.

I dashed through the forest, and on my way past a sparkling river, I sensed Suicune's aura. I decided not to stop by, though, because she had a habit of reading people's thoughts, and I thought it best to not let her know what I had planned.

I kept running. All this thought of Finn and all the running I was doing was making me remember the first time I met him...

 _I fell to the ground, my body throbbing. I had just received a beating from a wild gallade. I had managed to get some berries; it was winter and food was scarce. The little food you could find, you had to be strong enough to protect, and me, being a young Riolu with no Mema, I just couldn't. I curled up under the cherry tree I had collapsed under. I was freezing. It was winter and pokemon without a place to go and food to eat in winter died, that would be me soon. Time passed... how much I wasn't sure. I was in too much pain. I heard a gasp and the sound of feet sinking into snow, and I was lifted up. I managed to open my eyes and I saw a small boy. He couldn't have been older than 7 years old. He had honey brown hair and green eyes with a kind face. He was human. He would kill me, all of them would. If you weren't a psychic type then you were dead. The village around here only accepted psychic types. "Are you alright, little guy?" he asked "I… um… I..." I drifted off._

 _I woke under soft material and I was warm, which was a welcome change. "Where am I?"_

" _Ssshhhh..." I heard a human voice say, a somewhat familiar voice at that. "I'm not allowed to bring pokemon that aren't psychic to the village". "Oh. I'm at this village…" I said, a little disoriented. "I have to leave now. They'll kill me... They'll kill me."_

 _Even though he could not understand what I was saying, he must have understood my distress because he said "Ok, ok... shh... You're not the one who will get in trouble, ok? I just couldn't leave you to die. Here... take this," he said, putting an old satchel around my neck. I looked at him quizzically, but he just smiled. "It's some food I managed to steal from my family. Here, this way." He opened a window. I jumped out and ran into the woods, determined not to lose this food too._

 _I saw the young boy more and more as time passed. I learned about him and he learned what he could about me. It was hard though, because he didn't understand what I was saying. But that would change in time, once I evolved. But we became friends. Finn became my only friend._

I was snapped back to reality. _Ugh, this is pointless!_ I thought. I can't find her. But no, I can't give up! Finn is counting on me! But Celebi seemed impossible to find... and Arceus knows where she is.

 _This is no use,_ I thought. It's probably best if I go back to Dialga's temple… Then I felt something rustle behind me. I turned around and grabbed my tail, and looked in the crook of it. I saw a map.

 _Huh?_ I thought, and picked it up and looked at it. It was old and faded and had a weathered, thin map of all the regions on it. It was entitled, "The Map of Time," and on it was two names and dates: _Celebi, 1778. Dialga, Unknown._

As I watched, the _unknown_ under Dialga's name turned to _1778._ That meant… it couldn't be a coincidence. Dialga was coming to see Celebi! There was no way I could sense Celebi's Aura, but maybe I could sense Dialga's…


	2. The Forest and Temple of Time - celebi

**Thank you to the people who made it this far in the story seriously knowing that i have made something that people read is a amazing feeling**

 **any form of review is so amazing, i love** **criticism and it 100% help me improve my writing**

Ahh… the past of the forest was so much nicer than the future. It was serene, all of the trees I had seen stretch for the skies were barely saplings. It was such a different perspective.

I was one of the smallest of the Legendary Pokemon, sure, but I was one of the most powerful in some aspects. I fluttered my wings and twitched my antennae, yawning. I flew over to my favourite berry bush and started nibbling. I was just thinking, enjoying the peace that came so rarely, i had learned to savor it, But when I sensed it. A break in time i felt my heart drop. I was instantly on my guard, and lifted off from the tree i was positioned on. I heard a flock of Braivaries flying away and the skitter of a group of little Furrets as they ran off.

Slowly, the rip in time widened, right near me. A light blue swirling vortex opened above a lake it would lead to anywhere in time, if you knew how to use it. The abyss turned into a portal, and when i saw a thick, blue-and-white head emerge through the portal I relaxed. It was Dialga, the Guardian of time. The only other pokemon capable of traveling through it. The rip closed behind him and I frowned as he emerged. "Dialga, you know that though you're capable of time-travelling I strongly discourage it. You know what too much time travel can result in."

Dialga nodded and gave me a look. "I know, Celebi," he said his powerful voice rumbling. "But you are very difficult to find. Especially without the Map of Time."

"You LOST it?!" I shrieked. Dialga lowered his head. I knew that he was powerful, but I was mad. Note to anyone who ever meets me: DON'T make me mad.

"No, I didn't _lose_ it," he said. "That troublemaker Lucario came by. He tried to steal my Orb… He must have stolen the Map when I wasn't looking."

"When you weren't looking?" I asked, still furious. The Map of Time told those who held it _when_ and where the Pokemon of Time were (if you knew how to use it); Dialga and I. The only reason no people and few pokemon had seen me for years was because Dialga kept that Map guarded so closely i didn't like to be bothered without a good reason.

"How did you let a little, barely-evolved _Pasto-Legendary_ get something that important?" I said, wings going so fast they were humming.

"I was defending my Time Orb, my life kinda depends on it," Dialga growled.

I breathed in deeply letting the natural aroma of the forest calm me down. Losing the map was better than losing the Orb, so I relented and sat down on a nearby branch.

"So what did you come to tell me, that you lost the map?" I asked.

"No," he said. "Just that… Well, yes, I did come to tell you that. But Palkia is having some trouble with Giratina again, so I have to go sort that out…" He trailed off, looking at me.

"You want me to retrieve the map, don't you?" I sighed. "Why can't you get another legendary to help you? Zekrom or Mew perhaps." He looked at me apologetically.

"You are the only other pokemon who can travel in time" he stated. I had some serious issues reported to me about some deforestation on the east border in sixteen years time, and there were millions of pokemon in the forest that needed me here to keep the forest – past, present and future – in order.

"Dialga, I have responsibilities here, it's my home" I said. "I have so much to do. The time stream needs constant watching, and you're often too busy with official matters to come down to earth much. I'm surprised you're here now."

"Celebi, you of all people should know how powerful the map is."

I sighed and relented. "Okay, I'll go look for the map. But you owe me. I have so much to do here, and there's a hunter coming after a herd of Deerling and Sawsbuck, and he has a lot of fire pokemon…" I trailed off, and Dialga nodded in my direction.

"Once I take care of Giratina and Palkia, I'll come back and look after the herd. You find the map."

I bit my lip. The Map was most likely in lucario's 'present-day', and that time was not my favourite time to be in. Also, my Tree of Time was located here in the forest and I didn't like leaving it. Similar to mew and the Tree of Beginning. The Tree of Time healed me when I got hurt and made me stronger, as well as bringing me news from all over the timestream through it's berries. But the Map was more important now and plus the pokemon of the forest would try and protect it if a serious threat came.

I nodded to Dialga and I stopped him before he made a new rip in time. I sighed.

"Woah, Dialga. Stop wearing the timestream thin. You've been using it a lot lately, and—"

"I know," he said tiredly. "I wish it weren't so much. Present day is getting a little hectic, especially in the Reverse World where Giratina is running amok."

I sighed. "Here, let me take you back… I won't damage the timestream like you."

He nodded. "An ability I often wish for," he said wistfully.

I flew up in front of him and slowly began to spin. I began to trill at a low murmur, then increased to the iconic sound of the Voice of the Forest. "Beee-ee-ee, bee-ee-eeee…" the sound was enchanting and incredible, and I knew it would draw some trainers near. Unfortunately. I locked in the time, then the place, and the world began to shiver around me. Then I opened my lightning blue eyes, and sang at top volume. The powerful waves rippled through the forest, and Dialga smiled at the sound. Dialga is one of the few who have heard my song multiple times, and he appreciates it's beauty.

Then we were at his temple in a frozen area of time that was separate from the normal timeline. it was on a suspended platform, on the platform surrounding the temple where beautiful flowers and a sparkling river, the temple itself was a sight to behold. It looked as if it was molded after a greek building, only made of solid marble. It had highlights of gold and silver everywhere. _Perhaps Dialga liked that time period_.

I nodded to him, and he nodded back.

"Thank you, Celebi," he said.

"You're very welcome, Dialga." as i was starting to put a plan together I thought of Ninambi, the young Deerling who I loved the best out of the whole herd. "Take care of them, when you get time."

"Ironically we don't have much of that." he said, before walking with great steps into his temple. I could sense his increased power, and felt tempted to stay and replenish my energy, but I had more important things to do and as Dialga said, i didn't have time.

I needed much less energy to transport someone as small as myself, and my songs don't usually go for as long as they did when I transported more than one person, especially someone as big and powerful as Dialga.

I remembered my escapades a few years ago with Ash Ketchum and his friend, Sam who I really missed. I wished I could visit him back in his time, I'm sure he would appreciate it. I missed him so much, he meant the world to me. He's one of the only humans I've ever bonded with, and he saved my life once, and I his. I closed my eyes and imagined seeing him and my forest again when this was all over and the Map was safe, and smiled.

I walked to the edge of the small garden out the front of Dialga's time temple and smelled the flowers, taking a oran berry from a tree and nibbling on it to regain some strength. I thought of sam's laugh and his smile, his sparkling eyes and the way we cared for each other.

Then I sang.


	3. Back to the the 'Present Day' - celebi

I arrived in lucario's present day with a flourish, and found myself back in my forest. I looked at some of the massive trees and remembered them as saplings that was not even an hour ago for me, I smiled. Time travel certainly does a lot for perspective.

I began to fly, and flew over a huge herd of Deerling and Sawsbuck that were patrolling their home. I grinned, and thought of the little herd I had looked after back in 1778. I laughed and called a trilling, "Bripidipee!" at them, and they looked up at their guardian flying over them. They bucked and brayed, and started galloping. I smiled at them. The leaves on the Sawsbuck antlers were orange and red, while the coats of the Deerling were almost completely changed from the yellowy colour of summer to the orange-red of autumn. I heard a screech up above me and I saw a flock of Staraptor and Staravia and even a few Starlies in the sky.

I followed them for a little while, then started on towards the Black Sands. This was the only place where Lucario could have accessed Dialga's Temple that area had a lot of rift energy making it the best place to make a portal for another dimension, and even so, he would need a fully evolved _at least_ level 100 physic Pokémon. They are known for being so unwavering, so I wondered how he'd talked it into helping him. They hate debts though, so maybe it owed him and he was ready for the debt to be repaid.

I found the sands quickly it wasn't too difficult to identify them, as they were the colour of smoke, and descended onto the desert floor. The sun was setting, but the sands scorched my feet so I stayed hovering. I closed my eyes and looked in my mind's eye, thinking of a few hours ago. A 3D image of then came to me, and I saw a Lucario on the sands, talking to an Alakazam. The Alakazam did not look happy, but lifted its arms and created a swirling rift in a sand dune. Lucario nodded and slipped through.

I skipped forwards to fifteen minutes later and saw Lucario slipping back through with his fair share of bumps and bruises, and sweating like he'd just battled a legendary… which he just had. I saw a Trainer come up behind the Alakazam as Lucario raced away, the trainer caught him with a little purple ball, but I took a closer look at Lucario. What was that in the crook of his tail?

The Map!

It looked precariously held there, and I realised he hadn't stolen it when he slowed to a walk. Any thief in his right mind would have been running for the hills with that map, and at least have secured it a little tighter than wedged in the crook of their tail, unless they were an Arbok or Dragonair, in which case you wouldn't have much choice. But this was no Arbok. Or Dragonair.

He hadn't meant to steal it! The map had gotten caught in his tail, and he hadn't even taken it out yet. I sank out of the vision and back to present-day. I smiled to myself. Good old Lucario.

I paused to wonder why he'd wanted Dialga's Time Orb. I thought for a moment, then froze.

I felt it and my heart might have stopped.

A tear. A rip. A hole in time.

I could feel it. It was in one of the human civilization, and it wasn't going to be easy to fix it. Who could have opened it? Why was it there in the first place? I tried to imagine as I flew, my wings humming as I sped through the desert, seeing some Krookodiles in the ash coloured sand. Then I went through the green, lush forest, and finally over a sparkling blue lake, where I saw Suicune lapping at the water. I had no time to stop and chat, though.

I reached the human city soon enough, the building were humongous and they stretched high into the sky like the trees in my forest. I noticed there were many trailers and I quickly concealed myself. In the corner of my eye I saw a little purple blob change into a small yellow mouse Pokémon I flew down to talk to it. I quickly spoke to the Ditto and showed her an image to transform into with my mind and it nodded, morphing into Suicune and dashing into the busy human street. I heard a clamour and cry, and soon a stampede of people was headed down the street, they could give Tauros a run for their money.

The unremarkable street was good as empty now, and I flew very fast. Still not wanting to risk getting seen. Not many trainers had that small purple ball but I was not taking chances. I zipped from pot-plant to windowsill and around alleyways, keeping hidden. I thought a young girl and her Purrloin saw me through a window, but I just nodded at her and smiled, and she ran inside, giggling.

I found the building the rip was in and looked through a window. You see I could sense time rifts, they just felt...wrong in some way. The building I was in just looked like a normal lab with beakers and test tubes. The floor was tiled and on the benches sat what looked like very expensive equipment. At first I didn't see anything, but then I rubbed my hand over the foggy glass and saw a few scientists in an area of the lab I hadn't noticed. I recognized the red R emblem instantly on their uniform.

Team Rocket!


	4. Chaos - lucario

_**Italics are flashbacks**_

 **And just a side note I'm going away for a few days so no more updates**

 **If you have ANY feedback I would love if you reviewed it would mean the universe to me as I'm and trying to become a better writer and if no one tells me what I'm doing wrong or right I can't improve So please review it takes a only a few seconds**

I was running as fast as I could my legs were starting to burn and my lungs were alerting me it may be a good time for some oxygen. I was headed to where I last felt Dialga's Aura when it disappeared. Dammit! That meant he'd gone back to his own dimension. How was I supposed to find Celebi now? I sat down and threw the map on the ground in a temper.

The map hit a clear puddle of water, and I scrambled to get it out. I couldn't ruin the map it was my only hope! But when I took it out, the map was different. The water revealed two markers; one was a blue and white arrow, the other was a green and blue leaf. The blue and green leaf was in a nearby human city, and I didn't stop to wonder how it had happened or what these arrows meant. There was a chance they had something to do with Celebi and I would guess the green one was the best one to go with. I had no idea what Celebi was doing in a big city, I didn't really care to be honest. I just knew the marker was her and I had to find her. Arceus's will, I guess.

I sped away, headed eastwards. The greenery of the Jungle and forest raced past as I headed towards my destination, and I sensed a Pokémon's Aura coming up behind me. But as I went past and headed towards the city, I noticed Suicune racing past me a few metres away, followed by a crowd of people! I looked closer and saw the jellylike way that Suicune's paws touched the ground and smiled. A Ditto! Celebi or some other Pokémon with influence must have asked it to create a distraction. I though with a grin about how careful Suicune was and how stupid I had been for ever though it could have been her even for a second.

I kept following the arrow and ended up in a deserted, normally-busy main street. It was the same as any street, it was boring and uneventful. The road and sidewalk could have been cleaner as pieces of rubbish were scattered everywhere, That Ditto had cleared out the whole street, and cars were lying abandoned on the road. The place which was normally bustling and full was empty aside from a few Rattatas. I have to say, it was a little creepy.

I heard some sounds that would indicate there was conflict afoot, most likely a battle, and then I heard an iconic, "Beee!" and I realised that Celebi was nearby! I dashed down a couple of back streets and found a smashed window, and I realised this was serious. From what I know of her Celebi would have had to be really mad or the matter really serious for her to break a window. She just wasn't that kind of Pokémon and didn't like to make a scene.

I listened and heard a crack, and ducked out of the way just as someone in a white lab coat sailed out the window with steel leaves pinning him to the ground, unconscious. I'd always thought that Fighting types were the most powerful, but I guess if you're a legendary you're going to very powerful no matter what.

I slipped through window and came into a scene that could one be described as chaos. I saw a lab full of white tools, instruments and benches, and everywhere, Pokémon and scientists alike were battling one Pokémon, who was shooting everywhere and fighting valiantly. I noticed one take out a Master Ball and nearly gave away my position when I streaked towards him and knocked him out with a swift Mach Punch. His Pokémon, a Ghastly, looked at me and without a sound sank into his pokeball.

Coward.

Seeing this Pokémon run reminded me of a memory I had been trying to forget...

 _It was late spring and Finn wanted to bring me to his village. He was turning 12, and according to him, this was when people in his village choose their partner. You could only have one Pokémon as your partner and he wanted to choose me. "I am not psychic," I said. He was getting better at understanding me, he didn't have much potential for Aura but he had been teaching my telepathy. I guess growing up in a village of psychic Pokémon will help you if you wanna teach psychic moves._

 _"I know you're not, but you're my best friend and if I am going to have a partner, it's going to be you," he said. He looked at me, smiling. He was my everything thanks to him I was close to evolving. "Ok, I trust you..." I replied. He seemed to get the message because he hugged me._

 _We reached the village late. The ceremony had already started and the other children that had declared which Pokémon would be their partners were all finished. Finn was the last. He walked up to the center, me at his side. To say I was nervous in that moment was an understatement. All the other people of age choosing their partner had chosen psychic types what a surprise. There was a Hypno, Exeggcutor, an Espeon, and even a Starmie._

 _"Finn, what have you brought into this village?" said the overseer of the ceremonies hissed, eyeing me with a look that must only be described as disgust. This must be Finn's father and the leader of the village. I inched closer to Finn. "My partner," he replied sternly. Gasps were heard from everyone who attended the ceremony. "That…_ thing _cannot be your partner! It's not psychic and it's even_ weak _to psychic!"_

 _"And?" Finn replied._

 _"And you are my son, the next to be leader of the village of psychics!" his father roared. "Your partner must be a psychic Pokémon!" There was a murmur of agreement from the crowed and from their Pokémon._

 _"I don't what to be the next leader if Riolu can't be my partner!" he said, never taking his eyes of his father's._

 _"You are my only son! You HAVE to be the next leader!"_

 _"Then I don't what to be your son!" Finn roared. Gasps were once more heard from everyone._

 _"You don't mean that Finn," his father said, stuttering, then regaining his composure. "It's that little rat that's corrupted you!" He placed his eyes on me. Everyone else followed suit, but Finn put his arm out in front of me. "You will not even think of touching him!" Finn's father's Metagross took a few steps closer to me. "Watch me," he growled. "Once we get rid of that little rat, you can get a decent Pokémon that is psychic-type."_

 _"Riolu, run! I promise I'll find you once I clear all this up!" he whispered. "Metagross, use bullet punch on that... thing!" Finn's father went to use the attack on me, but Finn jumped in the way and got hit full force._

 _"Run!" Finn whispered, and I did. I used Agility to make myself faster and I got away with only a few scrapes and bruises. But Finn wasn't so lucky._

 _I was the coward._

I snapped back to reality. Celebi was starting to get overwhelmed, avoiding pokeballs flying everywhere while dodging attacks and dishing out some of her own all at once. So I quickly snapped into action, taking down Pokémon and human alike with swift attacks, and Celebi suddenly fell. She was sitting on the ground! How stupid was she? She was so vulnerable!

Then I felt a change. The air was somehow different. The Pokémon all tensed up and started wailing. I had the good sense to jump back out the window and watch from there.

Celebi began rising, eyes closed, wings humming. I watched in awe as a green ball of light began forming in front of her, growing bigger and bigger until it was more than twelve times the size of the little Legendary. I'd heard about this move before, but never seen it done. Frenzy Plant.

Celebi's eyes opened.

The ball of light split and millions of plants came streaming out faster than Jolteon a could run using quick attack. They crashed and broke, swinging and destroying, and the Scientists fled out the door. But the plants blocked it, then went limp. They retracted back towards Celebi, twisting into each other. Forming something. I returned my gaze to Celebi and gasped.

She was now holding a huge tree at least six hundred times bigger than me, and slowly swung it backwards. Then she started swinging it forwards, spinning around and around, the massive tree crashing and breaking everything. The lights shattered and computers and monitors were broken to shards. Then, finally, it stopped, and all the plants disappeared.

Revealing a scene of chaos, hmm things do go full circle.

The whole place was trashed, everything was broken, cracked or smashed. People and Pokémon alike were knocked out on the floor, and I watched as Celebi sorrowfully touched each of their heads, healing them. I scoffed at her kindness. One does not heal their enemies, lest they wish for a second wave!

Celebi left into another room, and I slipped into the chaotic room, stepping over fallen beings carefully. I walked silently into the room where Celebi was headed and realised with a start why she had been fighting so fiercely.

A black rip in time, swirling and sucking, sat in the middle of the room in between two machines. A cowering scientist shook behind one of them, and Celebi looked at him glaring so bad that he dropped to the ground in a dead faint. An Abra next to him looked a little terrified and teleported them both away. I could see Celebi was glad that she didn't have to hurt anybody else. Some people called her the kindest legendary, but when she was mad, boy, it would get ugly.

Celebi looked long and hard at the Rip in Time and at the machines that created it. She unscrewed a panel from one of them and disappeared inside. I heard clanking noises and a few leaves flew out of the exposed panel, and then the whirring noises stopped.

Did she even know how to stop that thing?

But the Rip suddenly started shaking, and a rumbling noise filled the air. Celebi came out, looking worried.

And saw me.

I was a Deerling caught in the headlights


	5. A Rip In Time - celebi

**Going to be honest this is the chapter I hate the most out of the ones I have wrote but hope you enjoy anyway, there will be a new chapter soon.**

 **Also over 65 views OMG I never expect one person to read this so thank you all!**

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I looked at Lucario, really confused. Why was he here? I was supposed to be looking for him and yet here he was, just casually here! As the buzz of the machine filled my ears I looked at Lucario. Then it clicked. Why he was here. Why he'd gone to Dialga's temple first. Everything snapped into place. He wanted to travel through time!

"Lucario?" I said, momentarily distracted from the Time Rip.

"Celebi, right?" he asked, as if he didn't know the answer.

"Yes," I replied, "But I have more important things to do than speak to you at the moment. This Time Rip isn't going to fix itself."

He nodded, understanding. "Do what you have to do." The fact that he was willing to wait for a chat cemented my theory that he wanted to travel in time.

I took a deep breath and flew above the Time Rip. The smell of rubble filled my nose. I looked into the pulsing vortex, a tear in time and I began gently singing to it. It slowly began to close. I breathed a sigh of relief as it yawned shut, this drained me of what little energy I had left but I had to do one last thing. I looked at the machine then I felt a ball of dark purple energy form in my hand and I fired the shadow ball at the device. A field of smoke burst forth and sparks were scattered everywhere as the machine was destroyed. I then got a hollow feeling in my very soul, Team Rocket had caused some irreparable damage to the Time Stream.

I shuddered. How could they have done this? No machine should be able to create a Time Rift. Only the Pokémon of time should be able to. I had to find the blueprints and destroy them. I looked at Lucario, patiently waiting in the doorway.

"Lucario, keep watch," I said. He nodded and shut his eyes, activating his aura sense ability. I closed my own eyes, mentally going back in time. I flew out of the door that had definitely seen better day ever evidenced by the one in the past, watching the sketchy pictures of the scientists going about their business in the perfectly clean lab room which was going to get horrible messy in a few hours. I kept high above the floor in case an object in the present had moved in the fight and I accidently crashed into it.

Something caught in the corner of my eye, I looked over and saw a scientist with a Haunter walking across the room with some blueprints. I smirked and followed him, and watched him place them gingerly into a metal filing cabinet.

I came out of my vision hovering directly above the cabinet, which was dented and battered but still stoically holding fast shut. Lucario was below me, looking up. I looked down at him and flew onto a broken computer.

"Lucario, would you mind… ah… _opening_ this cabinet?" I asked. He looked at me and smiled.

If he was going to try and use me to travel in time, then I could try to use him, fare is fare.

"Of course. It would be my pleasure." Lucario took a step back and raised a fist. A sphere of yellow crackling electricity created an electrical field around his fist, and it sparked as he drew back his fist. When it connected with the cabinet it exploded in a shower of sparks with a crack like thunder. He stood back proudly.

"Thunderpunch," I said, a little in awe. "Impressive."

"Thanks…..Can I, um, talk to you now.. It's kind of important?" he said a little tentatively. "It's on a… delicate matter."

Here we go.

"Once I destroy the blueprints, we can go somewhere safer than here. Then we'll talk."

I looked at the blueprints and lifted them up, they looked strong. I looked at them like they were alien and sniffed. They were protected with Lysozyme, but though it increased the longevity and strength of paper, it was also highly flammable. I looked at Lucario, myself not knowing any fire-type moves.

"Do you know Flame Punch?" I asked. He nodded and cracked his knuckles. I put the blueprints down on the only bench in the whole place that was still in one piece.

Incredible that it still stood.

It wasn't in one piece for much longer though.

I was growing more tired by the minute just continuing to beat my small wings was starting to become an effort.

Lucario's Flame Punch not only burst the blueprints into flames but split the bench in two with another ear-splitting crack. I nodded approvingly.

"Now, let's get somewhere we can talk," I said, rising off the computer and heading towards the window. But Lucario stopped me."There's someone coming," he hissed, and I quickly blinked into a vision of the future, and saw not two but three men in team rocket outfits climbing through the window purple balls on their belts.

"Come on," I said quietly and flew back through the wrecked room into the Time Rip room. Lucario closed the door and stuck a chair under the handle.

Why did he do that?

"Whatever you're going to do, do it quick," he said, a little panicky

He was probably thinking we were trapped like Rattatas.

"Don't worry," I assured him. "I don't plan on getting caught today."

Then I began to sing.


	6. Not Where? but When? - lucario

**New chapter this is the longest out of any so yah!**

 **also over 100 views, THANK YOU ALL!**

Her voice was amazing. It seemed to calm every fiber of my being. Now I knew why people called her the "Voice of the Forest." The notes rang out through the facility rebounding off the walls, and I heard everything slow down as she sang. The Team Rocket members were banging on the door and there Pokémon were firing attacks relentlessly,

Guess they shouldn't have made it so impenetrable.

The banging gradually got slower and slower until it stopped completely. I saw Celebi still singing, but her voice was blurred into background white noise as the world began to swirl. Then just like magic the world turned white.

I woke up with a pounding headache. My eyes didn't want to open and I couldn't feel… well… anything, actually I think I felt everything and all of it hurt as if I just go hit with about 10 brave bird attacks. I could hear, though, and I heard the small snaps as….berries were pulled off trees and the hum of little wings pounding relentlessly. I used my Aura sense ability to sketch out what was around me.

I was in a small cave with a low ceiling, and there was a basket next to me full of fruit, nuts and berries. A creature with humming wings came and gently put some more berries into the small basket nestled in the corner of the cave, then the small Pokémon sat down. I tried to get up, but I couldn't.

NO.

I had to, Finn was counting on me. The longer I didn't do anything the longer I go without seeing him... without seeing my family. I regained the feeling in my face and opened my eyes a crack.

Celebi sat there, looking at me with her soft blue eyes. I tried to sit up and she helped me into a sitting position.

For a small Pokémon she was strong.

I coughed a little and my eyes watered, even determination didn't stop pain. She picked up half a coconut that had been filled with crystal-clear water and she held it up to me. I gingerly sat up properly, nearly hitting my head on the cave ceiling in the process, and took the small item that contain the thing I did so crave, I drank the water greedily. It was delicious and sweet, and gave me enough energy to fully open my eyes and stop my hands shaking.

I just sipped the liquid now, and my eyes followed Celebi as she took some berries and herbs and sang a short song to them. They combined themselves into a reddish-purple mix and dropped into a small clay bowl.

She really was very connected to this forest.

The Legendary Celebi lives in a place like this? I thought to myself, still sipping the water. I thought all legendries lived in splendorous palaces like Dialga and Palkia.

Celebi came over to me and took the sweet water from me, giving me the bowl with the paste in it instead. She poured some of the water in, waved a hand above the bowl and it instantly became a hot soup.

How did she even do that? To put it simply I was impressed.

The soup actually smelt quite appetizing, and I started to eat with the spoon in the bowl.

"Time travel side effects are pretty difficult to cope with unless you travel through time every now and again, they're especially bad the first time," she explained. "You've got what Dialga and I call Time-Sickness."

"When will I be strong again?" I asked between mouthfuls.

"Oh, once the mix does its work, you should be better in minutes."

"Well that's convenient" I replied.

"Where are we?" I asked, finishing the bowl. Celebi was right, it was helping. I was feeling stronger every second.

She gave me a mysterious smile. "The question is not where, but when."

Then it all clicked. She'd taken me through time!

"Okay," I said, still a little surprised. I'd heard it was very rare for one of the Pokémon of Time to travel with others, and Celebi had only done so once, with a human, to the future. "When are we, then?"

"We are in spring, 1778," she replied, sitting on the wicker basket handle. "In Ilex Forest."

I nodded. I'd never been to Johto, but the forest seemed light and with gentle, dappled sunlight coming in through the trees. I couldn't tell much, though, because I was still in the cave.

My curiosity obviously showed on my face, because Celebi looked at me excitedly. "Do you want to see it?"

I smiled. Celebi must be one of the Legendary Pokémon with actual feelings, because every other one I met (and I hadn't met hardly any others) had been formal and stoic, especially types like Arceus and Palkia, who I heard about through legend, they were supposedly always serious. Some of the more serious Pasto-legendries like Absol and Zoroark had feelings, but they weren't full legends.

"I'd love to."

I stood up and promptly banged my head on the cave roof. Celebi broke into a fit of giggling and I walked out of the cave, rubbing my forehead. Immediately outside the cave was a Cherry tree, in full blossom at the moment. There were a few logs set out around it, lying down. The Aura they were giving off seemed to indicate that they were…Alive and not in the normal way plants usually were. Their leaves and branches were green and full, and they shaped the armrests of park benches. It really was spectacular. In the tree was a few bug types, obviously trying to get the cherries.

Looking at that tree set off a memory...

 _It was mid spring and the cherry trees were in bloom. I was still a Riolu. Although I was close to evolving. I was trying to jump up to get a cherry of the tree. "Come on, come on!" It had been awhile since Finn asked me to be his partner and the ceremony went wrong. I jumped again, and missed. "Ugh, this is pointless!"_

 _"_ _RIOLU!" I heard a voice scream out. "FINN!" I shouted back, and I started running. When I reached him, I hugged him._

 _"_ _You're okay!" I said._

 _"_ _Yeah, I'm fine." Finn whispered. "Riolu, listen. We have to be careful; my father doesn't want us to be near each other." I nodded._

 _"_ _I think I hear someone coming," I said, and I shut my eyes and felt the Aura of Pokémon coming. The same ones from the ceremony; Hypno, Exeggcutor, Espeon, and the Starmie._

 _"_ _Finn we have to go now," I said._

 _"_ _Yeah, I sense them too, let's go." He was getting better at using Aura._

 _We tried to run, but we were outnumbered. They found us._

 _"_ _Well, well, well. What do we have here? A little boy playing with his rat." Michael said. He had the Hypno. The others giggled there was three others Lindsay and her Espeon, Nicholas and his Starmie and Vincent with his Exeggcutor it was obvious that Michael and Lindsay were the leaders._

 _"_ _Take that back," Finn hissed._

 _"_ _Why don't you make him?" Lindsay laughed meanly. She had her Espeon by her side. "They say owners take on the characteristics of their pets. Don't you think he looks like a rat, Michael? What happens to rats who take their share of the food?"_

 _Michael cracked his knuckles._

 _"_ _Don't," said Lindsay. "He's still the leader's son."_

 _Michael considered this._

 _"_ _His little rat isn't," he remarked. He stepped forwards, his Hypno following._

 _"_ _Step back..." Finn raised his hands and a blue ball of energy was charging in them. Riolu followed suit._

 _"_ _Wow," Lindsay said._

 _"_ _Impressed?" Finn asked._

 _"_ _No, just surprised you can make yourself more stupid."_

 _Finn growled and let the aura sphere go, streaking towards the group. I did as well, but they dodged._

 _"_ _So you want to fight?" Michael said._

 _"_ _Hypno, use Physic!" he called. I floated up in the air and then slammed down hard as a brick wall of pure psychic power hit me. I got back on my feet._

 _"_ _Riolu, use bone rush with agility!" I ran, boosted my speed with agility and then made a rock solid bone appear in my hand. I ran at Hypno, and let's just say he didn't have time to dodge._

 _"_ _You'll pay for that!" said Lindsay. "Espeon, use Psybeam!" Her catlike Pokémon followed its orders, and a beam of rainbow came at me. I'd been hit by one of these before. It hurt like a million shards of glass into your brain. But Finn didn't even have to tell me to dodge, because he used aura in the same way I did. We had a sort of connection._

 _"_ _Hypno, use psycho cut!" That was a move nearly impossible to dodge. "Espeon, now use psyshock!" I was still down from the Psycho Cut, so I couldn't dodge even if that was a move that was dodgeable._

 _"_ _NO!" Finn screamed. I had to keep going... if we lost then I would lose the only chance I had to be Finn's partner. I had to win. I had to! I felt my power rising. A blinding light enveloped me… Is this some new move? No. I felt power growing in my small muscles, I felt my body shifting and changing. Before I knew it, I was taller, faster, and stronger. Riolu was no more._

 _Now Lucario was Finn's partner._

 _"_ _You evolved..." Finn gaped._

 _"_ _I did," I replied, equally as bewildered._

 _My voice even when used telepathically was different._

 _"_ _Wow... The aura bond increased! I can understand you far better." he said, I smirked._

 _"_ _No matter how big, a rat is still a rat," Michael said._

 _"_ _You'll see just how strong we are, Michael. Lucario, use blaze kick!"_

 _I followed the command as my foot was enveloped in a dancing flame. The Hypno underestimated me and I was able to hit it. He went flying, his yellow fur colliding with the snow._

 _"_ _Espeon, use psycho cut!" Lindsay said._

 _Why that move? I thought._

 _"_ _Now Hypno, use zen-headbutt!"_

 _That was it. I couldn't take any more attacks I couldn't dodge. It was two against one and they were super effective. Sadly this battle was over before it had begun, and even though I'd evolved, I couldn't beat two on one without practice in this new form. Those were my last thoughts as darkness overcame me, and the millions different kinds of pain I felt ebbed to a dull thud._

"So," Celebi said, coming out of the cave with an armful of multi-coloured berries. She placed them on the ground, near the roots of the tree, dusted her hands off and turned to me. I sat on one of the bench, while she perched on a low branch of the tree. "You had something to talk to me about."

I moved to speak, but she held up a hand. "I know. You want to travel through time. That's why you went to Dialga's temple to steal his Time Orb and why you came looking for me."

I nodded, a little sheepishly. She held out a hand expectantly. "But I need the map back."

I took out the map, and looked at it. The water had long dried and the markers were gone, but the times were still there, and it was true. Celebi and I were in 1778. It was sort of hard to believe we were in a time before pokeballs, even the non-throwable ones. But I unfolded the map and gave it to her. She looked at it reverently.

"You didn't really know what this map does, did you?" she said.

"Well actually—"

"No, no you didn't," Celebi interrupted. "Yes, it does tell when and where the Pokémon of time are. But it also allows the bearer to travel back in time, just once, and return to the present."

I couldn't believe it. The key to getting back to Finn had been in my hands the entire time! I leapt forwards to grab it back, but Celebi merely lifted off and sat on a higher branch. I tried to scrabble up the tree, but froze, mid-climb. I thought about what I was doing. Stealing from the Voice of the Forest wasn't a good idea, and how would I convince her to tell me how it worked if I'd just stolen it from her?

I slowly backed down and sat on the log again. Celebi disappeared for a moment, then came back around the tree without the map. She flew up onto the armrest and put her tiny hand on my shoulder.

"Lucario, why do you want to travel through time?"

Then I poured out the whole story. Me. Finn. From Riolu to Lucario, I told her how he'd become my only family, and he'd wanted me to become his partner, but his family denied and tried to kill me. To keep him safe, I'd gotten a Pokémon to put me to sleep for a long time. And how I woke up, centuries later, to a world without him. Confused and alone.

Celebi nodded. She looked deep in thought as she regarded me and my story thoughtfully. Her unsettling blue eyes stared straight into me and I looked away uncomfortably. Psychic types always unnerved me, with their mind-bending powers and strange looks... and the fact that Finn's family used psychic Pokémon. And only psychic Pokémon _._ They would never have accepted me.

"So you want to go back and get his family to accept you. Or bring him to the present to save him and you from his commitment? Or perhaps you want to prevent your younger self from going into that deep sleep? You realise that once you change the past, you will no longer exist, and the Present will no longer be 2016. It will be the time that you changed."

"I need to find him and help him win that battle," I said. "I won't let him fight alone while I run away like a coward when he places himself in danger. I need to help him."

Celebi looked at me "You know what I'm going to say next, don't you?"

"No messing with the past…" I sighed. Celebi nodded.

"All kinds of consequences could occur if you did. The losers of that battle could go back to their homes and everything would change. People instrumental in our history could have died in that battle, and families which were once proud and strong and would normally go on to have many children will become sorrowful and withdrawn, and their children would never be born. Would you kill hundreds, thousands to save Finn?"

I lowered my head, and knew she was right. Lucario's were supposed to be noble and brave warriors who would give their own lives for others. But would I condemn thousands of innocent people to death – or even missing a chance at life? For Finn?

What if there was a way to get Finn away from the battle just before he lost it? Then I wouldn't be hurting the Time stream or anybody else! I looked a Celebi, but she was looking at me with those blue eyes of hers and I could tell she'd been reading my thoughts.

"Even if there was a way," she said, "Team Rocket severely damaged the Time Stream with their machinery in the near past. I'm afraid that I can't take you back that far without risking destroying a small part of time."

"But I thought you could travel through time without damaging the Time Stream!" I said, standing up.

"Yes, maybe so," she said. "But you are too much of a dead weight. You'd drag in the Time Stream and cause a lot of damage! Like I said, a small part of time could be damaged, or even destroyed."

I thought for a bit. "But there must be some parts of time it would be okay to damage a little, right? Times which didn't have very much impact on the future?"

Celebi bit her lip, but didn't resign herself to lying. "Well… yes. Yes there are. But it's very difficult to control which time is damaged. It all depends on the time you want to go to."

"December 14, 602AD," I said.

Celebi looked at me, and I looked back at her with a steely gaze.

"Oh, alright…" she said. "I'll do the math and see what we could damage _if,_ and only _if_ we actually decided to do this, which is highly improbable." Celebi flew through a hole in the tree, and I got up and peered in. The whole inside was done up like a house, with stairs leading to other levels, furniture, and even a working water system.

"You sleep in the cave," she called up. "You still need a little rest. Let me do some thinking, and I'll talk to you in the morning. If you can't sleep you are free to roam to the forest, just don't break anything!"


	7. The Komioscope - celebi

I woke early that morning. Resisting the temptation the return to the peaceful void of sleep I reluctantly left the warmth of my bed.

I had important work to do today. As I silently entered the cave and saw the Pokémon that would determine what happened to time.

I contemplated what he was asking me to do, asking me to risk. Changing time was very dangerous and if an important part of the time stream was going to be affected with changing the fate of Finn then I had no choice I couldn't change time no matter the circumstances. If this happens I know it's likely Lucario will still try to travel in time and if that happens I'll have to stop him and I'll try to avoid a fight if at all possibility's with a Pokémon that just craved the companionship of family.

Lucario was still sleeping peacefully in the cave, so I went out to clear my head and finish my calculations.

I thought it best not to disturb him, I had a strange feeling that we were going to be very busy in the next few days.

I looked at the progress I had made last night and I came to the conclusion that I couldn't judge this on my own, time was a very complex thing and the human saying was true 'two heads are better than one'.

I decided to call in on an old friend, whom I knew very well.

We both loved the forest, despite her not being a grass type, and I knew she'd help.

That's just who she was, always kind and always just.

Together we'd be able to finish the calculations in no time, and for some reason, I really wanted to help Lucario. I knew what I was thinking about possibly doing was dangerous and very irresponsible, but I felt like I had to help. Dialga would be furious.

I made my way through the Ilex Forest and past Goldenrod City quickly, reaching the National Park quickly after I skirted around Ecruteak city.

I passed many flying Pokémon on my journey mainly Noctowls and Pidgeots it gave me a feeling of freedom just flying in the clouds the wind rushing past my face.

I was surprised by the amount of trainers there, but I didn't need to go too deep into the park. Which was good, if Team Rocket had those purple balls how new how else did.

I stayed around the edges, and eventually found the tree that the Komioscope was hidden in. I drew it out, uncloaking it as I did so. It was a small, disk-like thing, sparkling with magic and made of intertwined branches.

It will help me complete my calculations, well kind of I surmised. I smiled, stowed it away in a bag I brought, and flew back home.

When I returned, I found Lucario looking around, he looked a little panicked. He saw me and I watched relief flood his face. "Where were you?" he demanded.

I gave him a long, severe look. "I was retrieving something," I replied, and I flew into my fruit Tree, bringing out an apple as big as my head and some other ripe, juicy fruits. I threw them into the air, and in a few fluid chops of Vine Whip and a concentrated blast of Sunny Day, a neat little dish of diced and dried fruits fell onto a wooden plate which had conveniently been created right beneath them.

Lucario gaped, and started eating with vigour. I told him that I would be back soon, that I needed to be alone with the device to complete my calculations. He merely nodded, but I could tell he was getting impatient quickly.

I saw him disappear into the forest, perhaps to explore or rather train knowing him, I do hope he stays out of trouble.

I also headed off into the forest but I was going to a different part entirely, while flying through the trees I decided that I would have to go to the future to see my friend.

Well, it was currently behind the present, making it the past, but it was ahead of 1778, making it the future of the past but the past of the present. Being the Pokémon of Time Travel is confusing.

I sang a small melody, and the forest went quiet. I closed my eyes and sang it as a lulling, soft lullaby, and I felt years – centuries! – rushing past me. The feel of time travel was exhilarating to say the least.

I arrived in the Nearer Past fairly quickly, and since I didn't know exactly where my friend was, I had to use the Komioscope almost as soon as I had arrived I took out the small device and sang another small, quiet song, and the branches that encased the object opened, revealing a small pink crystal in the centre.

I touched it with the tip of each of my antennae, and it glowed a brilliant rainbow of colour and started to hum. Suddenly the world grew hazy around me, and I smiled as the Fairy-type magic surrounded me, making the world a pink-and-white blur.

It cleared as quickly as it had begun, and I breathed in the fresh air of the Kalos region. I smiled, thinking of my own Ilex Forest, and heard the gentle walk of kind hooves, and the magical whisper of the grasses as they came into her presence. I turned, realising she was nearby, as I listened to the grasses. Then she appeared.

She may not be a Pokémon of time but she was smart enough to help me, I was sure of it.

Her tall antlers were intertwined and decorated with hundreds of small leaves that sparkled like diamonds and even a few tiny birds Pokémon had taken a place on her majestic antlers. In one world she was colourful.

Her gentle, kind eyes smiled at me, and her soft fur rippled in a warm breeze. The breeze carried the magical sense of power. She looked at me and smiled, her eyes lighting up.

"Welcome, Celebi," she said, walking forwards. I smiled, and flew forwards to touch my antennae to her antlers.

"Hello, Xerneas." Without wasting a second I told her about the situation I had got myself into.

Xerneas frowned. "You want to potentially break the time stream and endanger the whole world because of a Lucario?"

"Well… essentially, yes," I said. Xerneas and I were sitting in a meadow, long grass and flowers everywhere.

Xerneas had picked a blue flower and tucked it behind my antenna, and I had chosen a purple one for her, and it was being proudly worn behind her left antler.

"The Lucario has been through much, I fear. I cannot carry him through time without damaging a small piece of the time-stream, potentially even destroying it. But the Lucario is right, there are some small pieces of time that would either be able to regenerate themselves or have no effect on the future even if they were destroyed. So he has told me when he wants to go, and I was hoping you'd be willing to help me finish my calculations and find out what effect travelling to that time will have."

Xerneas looked at me with a kind, thoughtful expression.

"What would you do if the time was not suitable?" she asked.

"I would do what is necessary and take Lucario back to his time," I responded. "I won't damage time, Dialga has been wearing it thin because of Giratina. Someday I hope I get to go to the Reverse World and teach her a lesson, I swear…" Xerneas nodded, content.

"Of course I'll help you, Celebi. Where do we start?"

Like I said she was always kind.


	8. sorrow - lucario

**this is the shortest chapter yet**

 **and because I forget to**

 **disclaimer** **: I don't own anything. i make no money off anything.**

Celebi was back in a flash of light seconds after I watched her fly away into the forest. I looked at her in surprise.

"But you just- but you can't… what?"

Celebi smiled, and I realised she'd gone back - or forwards - in time. It was frustrating and confusing, but I was glad she was back and I was glad I didn't have to wait for my answers.

"So?" I asked. "How'd it go?"

"My friend finished off the calculations for me," she said, drawing out a piece of paper. "I sort of fell asleep. The Kalos region is very peaceful and my friend's home is very magical. But I have the answer here."

I scrambled over and watched her carefully open the parchment. I saw the date on there, and asked her, "So? Can we go? Is this time suitable?" you could practically feel my excitement.

But she wasn't responding. Her face was white, very unhealthy, especially for a normally vibrant, green grass-type. I looked closely at her and gasped. Her big, blue eyes were vacant and her pupils had shrunk to dots. Her wings faltered and she stumbled shakily to the ground.

"Celebi?" I asked, worried. "Are you okay?" I was concerned to say the least.

Celebi just nodded, and seemed to have recovered a bit. Her eyes were actually seeing now, at least. She nodded again like a bobble-head, and she turned around shakily. I thought I saw small tears running down her face but I wasn't sure.

"We can't do it," she said in a tone that left no room for argument. I stood back, looking at her hard.

"Can't do what? Can't go back? Why?"

She looked sick. "I'll… talk to you when I sort everything out…" She headed into her Cherry tree, and I dashed to grab her before she did. She couldn't just do that I needed answers, now! And she was just going to walk AWAY! But it was too late I missed her, she'd already descended the old, wooden stairs. I stood back and sat on a log, and then heard possibly the sweetest, most heart-wrenching sound I ever have and probably ever would.

Celebi was crying.


	9. A Legendary Meeting - celebi

**a long-ish chapter because of the short one (it's my personal favourite so far)**

I shuddered, my face buried in a Spinarak Silk pillow. Hot tears leaking out of my ears, breath coming out in gasps. No. It _couldn't_ be then. I sat up on my bed and looked at the parchment again. I had to resist tearing it into pieces or just vaporising it. There it was, clear as day. I was praying that Xerneas had gotten her sums wrong. That something had blurred her handwriting. _Any time but then. Please._

I was really into Lucario's case now. But I couldn't let him destroy the one thing I had ever really loved. The only _person_ I'd ever really loved. The time on the parchment was the last time I wanted to be damaged.

1953\. The day I met Sam Oak.

And took him into the future.

I came out of my tree days later, and looked in a pool of water nearby. Suicune had been there recently, I could see the water was crystallic, a giveaway that the legendary dog of water had been here. That was the thing about us legendry's we were always there for each other in times of importance whether it be happiness or sorrow. I looked at my reflection. My skin was back to normal, at least.

I flew back to the cave half hoping the Pokémon that resided there had left. I flew in to see Lucario lost in thought, his eyes closed, reliving a memory most likely. He was shaking, obviously it wasn't a good one. Then he went still, and I surmised he'd been reliving when he'd been fighting by his master's side before he was imprisoned.

I was hit with a wave of guilt as I entered and gently touched his shoulder. He was shook out of his vision and awoke with a start.

"Lucario…" I started.

"No."

"But-"

"No. I'm going to find a way to save him. Whether you'll help me or not."

I looked at him in despair. "If you do it any other way than mine you'll do even more damage to the time stream! More than just Sa-" I stopped.

Lucario stood up, looking at me with a fierce glare. "What?" he demanded

I decided it couldn't do _too_ much harm to tell him. "The time that is going to be damaged… Sam is there. That's the time that Sam and I met. He saved my life. I saved his. And I brought him to the future and back again. He was the only human I'd ever been remotely friends with, and I can't fail him by destroying everything we ever did together."

Lucario looked furious. "So you're special once-off friendship," he said, raging. "Is more important than a bond more than _centuries_ old?!" I could tell he was furious

Well now I was furious. "So you'd sacrifice someone else's family for your own?" I shouted. "I'm taking you back to your time. Now."

"You can't make me go back!" he yelled, scrambling backwards out of the cave enhancing his speed by agility.

Then I heard a bell.

It was clear and sweet, somehow almost _colourful._ It rang through the forest and stopped both of us in our tracks.

It seemed to make the whole forest stop as well, all noise that indicated that other Pokémon lived there was gone.

"A meeting… A meeting of the legendries…" I whispered.

"What? I have to come," he said.

"No," I said firmly. "No you're not. Pasto-legends are not invited." With that, I took to the air and started speeding away, using Agility to enhance my speed even further, he wasn't the only one with that trick. Some nerve that Pokémon had to demand to come to a meeting of Legendaries he had no respect for authority. I shot through the forest like a streak of lightening and started singing. I only needed a short song, and then I'd be there… come on, just a little more… I was zig-zagging through the trees, going as fast as a speeding bullet.

Then there was a sudden flash of light as I started travelling. I soon realised with dread that there was a small drag on my travel. He must have caught up and just managed to hear the very end of the song! I growled at myself, but there was no turning back now. I'd just have to make sure he kept his big trap shut and hope that some Space and Time Travel sickness got to him.

I arrived in a huge green island in space. It was really big, and with a few trees littering the outside of the meadow like inside, where Arceus was standing. I flew down and landed softly, while hearing a loud _thump_ and an "Arrgh!" from behind me. Arceus looked at me disapprovingly as Lucario stumbled over next to me, but he didn't say anything. I gave Lucario a glare that would have turned a strong Pokémon into a meek Rattata and a weak Rattata into a pile of ashes. He was too disoriented to notice.

One by one the other legendries appeared. Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno all arrived together, cawing and screeching at each other, while Suicune landed gracefully from a massive leap lightly to Arceus's left. Deoxys and Rayquaza arrived, one snaking down from above, the other majestically floating down. Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf came down together, seemingly locked in a mental discussion. They were all looking intently at each other, eyes glazed. I tuned into their discussion with my psychic abilities but it didn't seem very interesting, all talk about the water quality somewhere in Kanto, so I turned my gaze to Raikou and Entei, who had just arrived in one powerful leap. Xerneas arrived in a flash of pink light and trotted up next to me, while Yveltal gave a cawing screech like fingernails on a chalkboard and came down from above. Zekrom and Reshiram arrived at exactly the same time and proceeded to move to opposite ends of the circle we were beginning to form. Kyurem wasn't far behind. Kyogre, in his Primal form, came down with a yawning sound and took up nearly a quarter of the entire Island, and Groudon, also in Primal, jumped up and make the whole island shake. A portal opened up and all of the Regis appeared, taking their positions in the circle while chatting in their weird voices. Mewtwo was there in a flash, Mew not far behind. They silently acknowledged each other, then stood next to each other maintaining an air of respect. Or rather, Mew floated and Mewtwo stood.

We had one rule when we had to meet. No fighting or Arceus would not be pleased and the last thing anyone wanted to do was make him mad.

Eventually, everyone was there, and Arceus, in a booming voice which rivalled even Kyogre's, began to speak.

"Thank you all for coming to the Decennial Legendary Meeting. As I'm sure everyone knows, you will all get a chance to speak on each issue, so I _implore_ you to wait your turn. We will begin with what lies above the earth and our galactic safety. Deoxys?"

Deoxys nodded and began to talk about a meteorite which Rayquaza had helped to divert off-track, and most of everyone around the circle nodded as if they were interested.

The Regis didn't have much to say, and neither did Entei or Raikou. But Suicune did.

"There has been growing unrest near the human city in the Kalos region," she said solemnly. "I fear someone - or a group of someone's - are trying to upset the balance."

Xerneas nodded. "My region has a fearsome group of warriors who call themselves Team Flare."

Yveltal came forwards too, and Mesprit and Uxie were shoved out of the way. "The faction is very competitive and is often at war. Many Pokémon have been hurt by their doings."

Entei stepped forwards next. "You may have a warring faction, but Johto is plagued by Team Rocket, the fearsome and formidable, especially in numbers. Their ways have long been hurting the whole region, as well as Kanto."

Raikou stepped to his side. "I agree," he rumbled. But being a Pokémon of few words, he simply stood his ground. "Our region is indeed in great need."

"We all have our different regions and problems," soothed Latias, flying forwards. Latios was, as ever, not far behind.

Landorus, Thundurus and Tornadus came forwards. "Yes," said Landorus in his rumbling voice. "We all have problems. Let us speak of them as we go around the circle, or the meeting will fall into… into…" he grunted.

"Disarray?" Uxie piped in.

"Yes, yes…" he said, stepping back.

It was Kyogre's turn. "I too, like you, Xerneas and Yveltal, and Zygarde of course, have a plague affe-"

"I'd like to say something." I turned to my right and nearly slapped myself in the face.

It was Lucario.

If he didn't die by the literally dozens of legendries then I was going to kill him!


	10. A Flower Of Time - lucario

**over 150 views OMG! well my universe is great**

 **THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! I hope you are enjoying the story.**

It was terrifying being in the presence of so many beings who could crush me with one move. I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was especially unnerving being only a few Pokémon away from Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf who were now looking at me with that psychic-type expression which unnerved me to no end. But I couldn't stop now. There were so many legendary Pokémon looking at me and I couldn't back out.

This was the only chance I had, if Celebi wouldn't help me I had no other choice.

I cleared my throat and repeated, "I'd like to say something."

There was murmuring all around the circle, and I could see Groudon and Yveltal looking at me with murderous expressions, clearly they weren't happy with me taking their turn. I resisted the urge to run away. I swallowed down my rising breakfast and stepped forwards, as I had seen the other legendries do. But Entei, Raikou, Yveltal and more suddenly had very thunderous expressions.

I felt like a small rattata next to all these beings who were so powerful.

"Leave," said Zekrom in a booming voice. I moved to open my mouth but Reshiram stepped forwards with a growl.

"This is not up for discussion," she said, her piercing blue eyes looking at me and tearing through my resolve.

"You are not welcome here" Mewtwo growled.

Manaphy and Phione stepped forwards and spoke at the same time with an eerie harmony. "This is a sacred meeting held only once every year," they droned harmoniously.

Jirachi piped up. "You shouldn't be here," she said. "Especially not by manipulating Celebi's power."

"But I-" if only they could let me say my story

"Leave!" yelled Yveltal in frustration. I cringed but kept looking around for sympathy. I found none, some anger, annoyance and frustration, and even some pitying looks. But no sympathy, nobody willing to help me speak up. So I decided I had to do it myself.

"No!" I yelled back. "Let me speak!"

"Can I go for him now?" hissed Groudon. Zekrom nodded enthusiastically and Yveltal licked his lips. Arceus was deep in discussion with Rayquaza and Deoxys, and didn't seem to be coming to my aid anytime soon.

I could almost smell the anger in the air

Then I did something stupid. I let my temper get ahead of me.

"You're all half-witted Ditto-brains!" I yelled furiously. "You won't even let me speak! You're all as fat as Kyogre!" what I said was stupid and childish but those 'legendaries' weren't listening and I needed them to.

Kyogre got very offended at this and Groudon just as so, as they were siblings. Shaymin, Virizion, Cobalion, and Terrakion all looked enraged and the Regis - as per usual - just stood there, with no emotion.

By now the whole circle was in uproar. I shrunk back behind Celebi but she simply looked at me with an expression which was a cross between _I told you so_ and _you brought this on yourself._

The island was huge, if I could just make it to the trees, maybe I'd have a chance…

I bolted for it using extreme-speed running outside into the garden I was followed by nearly every legendary in the circle, some to hunt me, some to spectate. I ran faster than I'd ever run before, and made it to the thick, bushy trees that surrounding the temple where the meeting was taking place. But anyone who didn't fit in the trees didn't do the normal thing and circle around, looking for a new way, they just crashed through, ripping the trees out of the ground. Xerneas was the biggest legend to fit and all of the other smaller legends fit, however, and she was streaking up towards me. I saw a flower that looked like a twisted leaf up ahead which was pink, purple, blue and radiant, and best of all, I think it would be heavy with pollen. It would cloud the air, and I could distort their vision and smell and I could escape!

I crashed headlong into the flower and all of the legendries stopped at once, and there was muttering. They weren't chasing me anymore. Why?

Then there was a blinding flash and the flower rose into the air. Xerneas, who was closest to me, was looking at it in fear and awe. _He activated a Time Flower,_ I heard someone whisper. Then I felt a sharp pain in the back of my skull, and I felt something wrenched from my mind.

Then I was back.

The memory that was burned into my brain was now projected from the flower, and I wanted to cover my head and run away, never to return. But of course, I couldn't. And I watched the memory play out it was like I was frozen to the spot, forced to watch.

 _Lucario is with Finn. They are in the psychic village, and it is time for Finn to become the new leader. And to do that, he has to beat his father with his own partner. The village is full of people, every single one has just one Pokémon - and every last Pokémon is a psychic type. They all give Finn dirty looks as they go past him, and their Pokémon hiss and growl at Lucario. They are all heading in the same direction. As Finn and Lucario follow them, they are led to a big Town Hall, where Finn's father the Chief is ushering everyone in. Lucario and Finn follow and once Finn's father calls for silence it came instantly._

 _"_ _Finn," his father sneers. "The only reason I allow you to have this right is because it is tradition and I don't want to be like you and break it."_

 _Finn smirks. "Well, don't be embarrassed when I beat you," Finn says, and his eyes flash blue as he reads his father's aura._

 _"_ _You won't."_

 _They head to their places on the field, and Lucario steps forwards. Finn's father's Metagross follows. The hall is quiet. Lucario and Finn are using their aura abilities to scan the hall until Finn's father breaks the silence. The battle began. "Metagross, use Bullet Punch!"_

 _Lucario dodges._

 _"_ _Bone rush," Finn calls, and two rock solid bones appear in Lucario's hands. He runs at the Metagross._

 _"_ _Protect!" Finn's father yells at his psychic Pokémon. Lucario's attack bounces off the huge shield._

 _"_ _Again, Lucario!" Finn said._

 _"_ _Protect again, Metagross!" Finn's Father does not realise his mistake until Lucario's Bone Rush hits the unprotected Metagross, as it tries and fails to produce a second Protect._

 _"_ _Got you," Finn says to himself. He doesn't need to tell Lucario what to do. Lucario runs at the Metagross, feet flying across the field, a red charging energy forming around his hand. A power-up punch. It hit the Metagross hard. The great thing about that move was it made Lucario stronger, while weakening the steel-type Pokémon._

 _"_ _Tsk... Metagross, use sandstorm!" The Metagross hit his massive legs on the ground and in seconds the whole battle ground was instantly enveloped in sand. He must have thought Lucario wouldn't be able to survive, but he is wrong._

 _"_ _Use strength!" Finn's father shouts._

 _"_ _Aura sense." Lucario and Finn shut their eyes._

 _The thing about aura it only shows alive thing, and the bright blue Metagross was most definitely alive._

 _"_ _On your left!" Finn shouts, and Lucario easily dodges. Move after move he dodges, quickly and fast, seeing everything before it happens._

 _"_ _You know what to do," Finn says, smiling. The dust clears. Eventually, the Metagross becomes tired after throwing blow after blow and missing. Finn and Lucario reopen their eyes. Finn's father growls._

 _"_ _Okay. I have had enough of these games, boy. Metagross! Use earthquake!"_

 _"_ _Lucario, jump into the air and use a dragon pulse to keep you suspended!" Lucario tries to jump, but he isn't fast enough. The earthquake takes effect. There is a faint glow surrounding Lucario... not visible to the normal eye, but Finn was trained in aura. He did not have a normal eye. Someone is using psychic moves on him discreetly! They are holding him still, and he is taking huge damage from the earthquake. Then Finn spots it in the background. There was Michael and his Hypno, smirking._

 _"_ _If he can cheat, then so can I!" mutters Finn. He lifts up his hand and a blue pulsing energy surrounds his hand. Lucario gains energy, opening his eyes._

 _"_ _CHEATER!" someone in the audience yells, and Finn realises his mistake._

 _"_ _No-" Finn tries to say, turning his back on the field. "Y- you don't understand- I was just-" he hears a cry of pain from Lucario and turns to see Metagross shoot a Psycho Cut on him. Then all the Pokémon in the stadium started throwing attacks at Lucario. He was no match for them. There had to be at least two hundred. Finn ran to his Lucario and pulled him up. He raced away, Lucario over his shoulders, shaking with pain inflicted inside his mind. He tried to get him out of the hall, but he reached the door and saw the guards. When the guards see Finn, they shove him roughly away. When Lucario tries to intervene, still weak, one of them takes an electrified pike and hits him, and the jolt throws him roughly onto the ground. Finn cries out and rushes over, but Lucario has blacked out. Suddenly a Pokémon appears and both Finn and Lucario disappear. When he wakes, Finn is by his side at the cherry tree. Suddenly, Lucario hears shouts of triumph and the ground rumbles. Hundreds of people enter the clearing with the cherry tree with weapons, some with the electric pikes and more with anything they could find. Lucario jumps up and Finn yells at him to run, so he does, thinking the mob will follow him and away from Finn. But nobody does. He hears cries and screams from the cherry tree, and he looks torn apart. He runs to a Pokémon that had teleported him and Finn away. He was a friend he owes a lot, and quickly speaks. When he returns, Finn is struggling desperately with multiple wounds. Lucario puts himself between Finn and the mob._

 _"_ _OKAY!" He yells. "I'll go! Leave Finn alone!"_

 _The mob stops and looks at him. Finn is sobbing on the ground, begging him not to go. A single tear trickles down Lucario's face before he pushes through the crowd, and finds the friend, who looks determined. The Alakazam is waiting outside, the same one that owed him before, only right now it's a small Abra. It lifts its head, stands, and opens its eyes, using the most powerful Hypnosis known to mankind. Lucario's eyes blink and black out. The thing about Hypnosis was that most Pokémon that undergo it want to wake up. The last thing he sees is Finn weeping over him, and people putting away their weapons._

 _He succeeded._


	11. Choose A side – celebi

**is telepathy**

I stood in shock. I had no idea that Lucario had been through so much, suffered through so much. He'd lived in a psychic-type village, and when Finn refused to give him up, they'd come after Finn. He'd sacrificed himself for his master.

The legendries all stood in shock, and slowly made their way back to the meadow, reforming the circle. A low murmur was maintained the whole time, and though Kyogre cast him a furious look every now and again, they all seemed calm. Arceus stepped forwards.

"Lucario, why don't you come forth and tell us why you came here?"

Lucario gulped and stepped forwards, and instantly all eyes were snapped on him. Not many Pokémon could say they have had every legendary listen to what they had to say. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and opened his mouth.

"I came here for the same reason I came to Dialga's temple," he began, looking nervously at the group. "I want to travel through time and help my past self-escape with Finn. Then I'll take him to the future, and Celebi says that this will destroy a small piece of time. By the way, when was that?"

I looked at him with eyes filled with tears. "The day Sam and I became friends."

He looked confused, but every other legendary there gasped. They all knew the story of how I had taken Sam beyond his time and into the future, and without him, I would have been rendered evil forever by a hunter who had captured me in a Dark Ball while I was distracted. I would have destroyed and killed many people and Pokémon if it wasn't for him.

There was a sudden uproar. Xerneas was yelling at Yveltal while Yveltal was screeching back, arguing about what they should do. Zekrom and Reshiram were in a full-on fistfight and Mew and Mewtwo were throwing bombs of pink-and-blue fire at each other, Mew screeching furiously that Sam needed to be left safe in his time while Mewtwo was roaring that they needed to help Lucario.

Even if he didn't care about the Pokémon before him, he had an obligation to family and Mewtwo certainly believed that not all family is related by blood, him being a clone.

"ENOUGH!" a voice roared through the madness. Everyone froze, even Mew and Mewtwo, balls of energy poised. Arceus, backed up by Deoxys and Rayquaza, was standing in the centre of what had been the circle, eyes blazing. "What has become of the Legends who protect the Pokémon World? Have we been reduced to scrabbling antagonists?"

Everyone lowered their heads in shame, except the Regis, who really didn't have much of a head to lower. Arceus looked furious as everyone ambled back to their places in the circle, glares being sent like daggers across to each other. I was worried, so I decided to help.

I began to sing.

A soothing song, the embodiment of calm, rang through the island like rippled on a pond. Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf all rose into the air behind me and started singing too, their sweet harmony echoing across the island. Everyone closed their eyes involuntarily, the sweet melody of the Voice of the Forest accented by the unbreakable harmony of the Lake Guardians.

Celebi? I felt Mesprit say in my head. I think they're calm enough to talk reason now.

I nodded. Okay.I responded, say what you want telepathy is awesome.

All at once, the spell was broken, and the circle was reformed for the second time. I breathed a sigh of relief as I fluttered back to my space and gave Lucario a look that could slice up steel like butter. He shrank back. It's all your fault. I said in his head. He looked surprised, but obviously couldn't reply into my head. So I listened to his thoughts.

'It's- It's not! I didn't- I didn't-'

Yes it is. I said coldly. No meeting has ever gone this badly, none of us have ever fought tooth and nail so hard. It's your fault. It's _all_ your fault.

I tuned out from his head but I could tell he was thinking a million thoughts he wanted me to hear, but I was done. He'd ruined my reputation, threatened my family's safety and destroyed a sacred meeting which had gone untouched by conflict for centuries. I was done. Whether he missed his owner or not.

But my song's power didn't last for long. Arceus sent us all back and ended the meeting, but the unrest stayed. I could taste it in the air as I arrived back in the 'present', but when I arrived at my Ilex Forest, without bothering to go to the past, I found a spectacular sight.

Dozens of legendries. So many of them. I looked in amazement at this mass of legends, all of them looking expectantly and determinedly up at me.

"We're here to choose sides," growled Zekrom. "I need a fight and I need one soon. Celebi, I'm going to help you keep Sam safe."

I looked and felt moved, and several other legendries nodded.

Xerneas has fire in her eyes as she moved forwards. "Seeing a memory makes no difference!" she cried. "Lucario's family was lost long ago. Why, if they believe so much in family, are they killing one? Celebi's family still lives and she can still visit it in the past. So I do not understand why they would kill one family at the cost of one that has already died once!"

Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno had been silent until this point. They all shared one glance, looked at each other, and then at me. Articuno stepped forwards.

"Celebi, quite often, Moltres, Zapdos and I are arguing or at war," she said quietly, in a soft voice unlike her normal sharp, icy tone. She looked at me with soft blue eyes and smiled kindly. "This is the first thing we have ever agreed on. Your family still lives. To us three siblings, though we fight, family can take many forms. We will fight alongside you. Because family is often all some people have."

Uxie, Azelf and Mesprit floated gently forwards and came to stand in front of me. They all looked at me with their wide, vivid eyes and smiled.

"Family takes many forms," said Uxie.

"And though trainers and friends are one of them," said Azelf, looking pointedly at a mental image of Lucario only the Guardians and I could see.

"True family saves the past and present, all the way to the future," finished Mesprit.

"We will not allow Celebi's family and the entire timeline," said Azelf quietly.

"To be destroyed by the greed and selfishness," said Mesprit.

"Of one Pokémon who can't let the past go," completed Uxie.

"Well, I know what family is," said Suicune. I looked at her hopefully. She looked at each of us, Raikou and Entei on either side of her.

"I will always feel the need to save my family," she continued. "And if Lucario is willing to sacrifice the timeline to do so, then so be it. Family is family." Entei and Raikou looked at each other and nodded. They trusted Suicune's judgement and seemed to have each had a personal experience with it. They bounded away northwards, towards GoldenRod city and the Lake of Rage.

"The Timeline is a sacred thing," said Yveltal, rising from his position. "But though Xerneas and I are opposites and strive for different things, we are family. But family can disagree. And I disagree with Xerneas. The Timeline is worth sacrificing, because what time without people to share it with is." His massive hulk rose off the ground he flew in the direction which Suicune had headed.

Kyogre and Groudon had both remained silent up until this point, and Kyogre had a cool, calm firmness in his voice. He rose up, towering over every other legendary there, his massive hulk shining under the brightness of the stars.

"Celebi has a right to defend the Timeline and her family. Lucario is being stupid and selfish, destroying something as sacred as a family because _he_ can't let something that happened years ago – which was _his choice_ – lie in peace!" His voice rumbled across the forest, shaking it like an earthquake. He flew over and behind me, his enormous hulking body blocking out the moon behind us.

Groudon, on the other hand, was instantly opposing Kyogre. "Why shouldn't he go back for HIS family? What make Celebi's right to protect her family more important than Lucario's?" he roared. "Should Kyogre be in trouble in the past, I would save my, brother!"

"But what if by doing so you were destroying me?" Kyogre roared back.

"Why should Celebi's family be considered more important than Lucario's? You're telling me if Sam was in trouble you wouldn't change time to save him?" Groudon shut his trap and started lumbering after Yveltal.

One by one, the legendries chose who they would support. Every single legendary had someone they supported, for one reason or another. My supporters were Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mew, Ho-Oh, Latias, Latios, Kyogre, Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Cresselia, Jirachi, Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Regigigas, Meloetta and Zekrom.

The others had disappeared, but Mesprit quickly closed her eyes and joined hands with the other Guardians of the Lake, and spoke.

"The others have gone to Lucario. They are waiting at the Lake of Rage, forming a plan. They want to steal something that looks like a… it looks like a map, only without anything marked and some… some words in the corner, we can't quite make ou-"

"The Time Map," I whispered, my face turning pale. When the other legendries looked confused, I reminded myself that only Dialga and I knew about the Map.

And Lucario. Lucario knew too.

"The Time Map can tell someone where - and when - the Pokémon of time are. Lucario accidently stole it from Dialga, but returned it to me not very long ago. It remains in 1778, and I think if I can draw on my Time Tree then I can bring you all there to help me guard it. Whatever happens, we cannot allow Lucario and Dialga to gain control of that map."

"Why?" asked Xerneas, looking worried. "What harm can knowing when and where you and Dialga are do?"

I took a deep breath. "The Time Map can also take someone back in time."


	12. Into Battle - lucario

**Sorry that I haven't been updating but school is getting crazy and the time I used to spend writing I now spend researching but I'm not a quitter I will finish this story no matter what as that is my pet hate when people don't finish story's so...hope you enjoy!**

I stood surrounded by so many legends I had only dreamed of ever seeing, and they were all willing to help us raid Celebi's home back in 1778. I admit, it was a dangerous plan, but the Red Gyarados at the Lake of Rage had agreed to help us. They would lend their power - which was a hell of a lot, considering their strength and their numbers - to Dialga, who would transfer as many of us as possible back to 1778. He said if he had the abilities of the Red Gyarados, he could do it without damaging the Time Stream. I was furious that Celebi hadn't told me she could do that until Dialga told me that she couldn't, only him.

I took a deep breath and looked at Dialga. "Are you ready?" I asked. Behind him, in the lake, was amassed hundreds of Red Gyarados. They roared a ready 'yes', and Dialga nodded.

"For Finn," he said, eying me. "For Finn," I agreed.

Then the Gyarados roared, and crystallic beams of coloured and white energy blasted from their open mouths straight into Dialga. I expected so many Hyper Beams to kill him in an instant, but instead, his skin changed colour to a deep black and started _absorbing_ the rays. His face constricted and all of the legendries hastily gathered around him. He opened his eyes, looking at each of the legendries in turn. They were white with dancing spots of colour, and when he blinked at each legend, they disappeared. Last of all, he looked at me.

"Use the Time Map well," he said, and blinked.

Suddenly, I was falling through an endless void of white and blue so bright I couldn't even begin to open my eyes. It burned and soothed all at the same time. I had just decided I much preferred Celebi's way of travel when I hit the ground with a sickening thump, groaning and with a splitting headache. I blearily opened my eyes and the afterglow was so bad that I couldn't see for a few minutes. When I began to make out shapes, I saw other legends sitting up and rubbing their temples and shaking their heads and Kyurem was more disoriented than I think anyone had ever seen him.

I got up once I had recovered and roused my band of team mates. They all assembled in front of me, and I realised sadly that Dialga hadn't had enough power to bring himself too. I just hoped he had enough to get him out of sight so that he wouldn't be captured.

I looked around at my crew of legends. Entei, Raikou, Suicune, Mewtwo, Lugia, Manaphy, Phione, Groudon, Palkia, Giratina Darkrai Victini Landorus, Thundurus, Tornadus, Heatran, Shaymin, Keldeo, Kyurem, Genesect and Reshiram. I smiled at them, and decided that now, at the 1778 Lake of Rage (where it was currently pouring), I should give a motivational speech. I am not afraid of many things, trust me. I've battles hordes of Psychic types and won. But one thing I'm terrified of is public speaking which sounds stupid now that I think about it. But I didn't have a choice.

"Friends, allies, comrades," I began, a little shakily, standing up on a rock with the lake at my back.

"We have come at no small expense and no bad reason. Finn needs me, and all of you can help me make sure that we save him. As a Pokémon, I cannot ask you to fight alongside me. But your companionship in the battle that will surely follow _will_ determine a life. A life of a good man. I ask only that you understand that by helping me you are defying Celebi and her cause, I do hope you do stand with me as she wishes to keep apart a family which has long settled at the expense of a bond centuries old. I now walk into the fight. I walk into the fight… FOR FAMILY!"

"FOR FINN!" I heard someone at the back yell. More and more the cry was taken up until a deafening roar of "For FAMILY!" was echoing over the lake. Then we charged away, through a portal that Reshiram and Kyurem were holding open.

Who knew that they could do that?!


	13. Into Battle - celebi

p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"I heard the rumble minutes before the attack happened. All of my friends were sitting around me and my tree, and I was quickly explaining something important. I had just finished when the rumble came, and Kyogre roared to get into our battle stations. I raced to the front line and held an energy ball in my hands. I didn't want to use Frenzy Plant like I had back in the city while getting rid of Team Rocket too early, because it really drained my energy and I wouldn't be much help for the rest of the battle./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Then they burst out of the forest, onto the massive open meadow before the Cherry Tree, where I had carefully hidden the Time Map. Of course, the easiest way to keep it safe would have been to hide it in time, but Dialga would have sensed my movement in time and would have been able to sense where and when I had hidden it. But as I searched the advancing armies, I couldn't see him. He must have used the very deepest reserves of his power to transport everyone back without damaging the time stream, and couldn't make it himself. /span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"That put the battle slightly in our favour/span The two sides amassed on either end of the meadow, and a low murmur began to rise from them. It gradually increased to a rumble, and then crescendo into a roar. Both sides were obviously ready to battle. I was a little worried about it, but Xerneas calmed me. /span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""We have equal forces, if not better. Dialga is missing. Although strong for his species, Lucario is only aPasto-legendary."/span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" "But what if-"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" "Celebi." She looked at me with her deep eyes. "You're doing that thing again."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" "What thing?" I asked, surprised. She laughed gently./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Worrying."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Then Lucario came to the front of the pack and started advancing. Both sides grew anxious, and I flew forwards to meet him. We met in the middle of the grounds. I tried to hold back tears. I hated war. I hated battles. Arceus knows I even hate arguments. But I had to defend Sam, no matter the cost. He was my whole world./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" "I won't let you stop me from saving Finn," said Lucario and I looked through his mask of determination and saw a scared Riolu, hiding in the body of a big, brave Lucario. He wasn't ready for this. But I saw a fire in his eyes that I even recognised in my own, and realised he was serious. He was going to do this, no matter the cost./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" "I won't let you destroy the only part of me that's ever really loved," I shot back, stoking the embers of my own internal fire. He looked taken aback at the ferocity I was showing. I'm never like this. I think this is the first time I've been this angry, this determined, this furious since the dawn of time./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Trust me, I've been there. The weather is terrible this time of year./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"We marched back to our sides and I saw Lucario giving his allies some direction. I knew that I was much less fit to do something like decide who goes where in a battle, but I knew someone who would fit the role perfectly./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" "Zekrom?" I asked, flying over to him./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Yes?" he said gruffly. He obviously didn't like taking orders. Well, he's about to get a bit of leadership./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Could you organise a battle formation? Keeping in mind we're defending, not attacking."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"His eyes lit up and I could swear I heard the crackle of electricity. He walked to the front of the group and raised his arms, gesturing to the whole group./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" "Okay, Guardians of the Lake, I want you on the front-left to combat Lucario. If he goes down, chances are his army will too. Kyogre, I need you at the back to catch anyone who gets past us along with Xerneas, who can definitely catch the faster ones. Regis? I need you front and centre to take on the brunt of the attack with Celebi to protect you from any Fighting-type attacks. Cobalion, Terrakion and Virizion, I need you guys to cover the left flank and Latias, Latios and Meloetta I need to cover the right flank. Mew and Regigigas I need in the centre to hold off anything that you can. Moltres, Articuno, Zapdos, I want you attacking from above to distract them and try to confuse them as much as possible, and any burns, freezes or paralysis you can cause will definitely help out. That goes for you, too, Ho-Oh."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"The enormous rainbow bird screeched approvingly, joined by Articuno, Moltres and Zapdos. Then the cacophony was joined by the Regis, then the Guardians of the Lake, and soon everyone was yelling, screeching, cawing, roaring, or bellowing at the tops of their lungs. I noticed that the other side had, too, made a game plan, but they had their brute strength at the front and the weakest at the back. I saw Groudon getting ready to lead the attack and smiled, knowing that Kyogre could easily send a jet of ultra-powered water his way if we needed to knock him down quickly, which we emprobably/em would./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Soon, both sides were screaming like their lives depended on it, and I was yelling along with them. I sat on Regirock, my fist in the air, and started powering myself up with Agility. I watched as everyone else started using moves like Hone Claws and Curse. I smiled, and turned to face what had now become my enemy. I tried to hold back some tears as I readied to fight the legendries I had known all my life. I looked back at the assembled legends and felt a rush of pride. Xerneas nodded at me and Zekrom, right behind me, yelled, "HERE THEY COME!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Why did I have a strong wish for Arceus to come and stop this battle?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt;" /p 


	14. The Battle Begins - lucario

"CHARGE!" I roared and spirited forwards, my fists already raised and forming a Mach Punch.

I didn't stop to look at who I was attacking, all I knew was that I had to fight through whoever it was to get to the Map. I felt a searing pain shoot through my head, though, before me and my army was halfway across the meadow.

It doubled, then tripled, and I felt a piercing song sear through my head. I managed to stumble back to my feet, my hands clutching my head, and I looked up to see Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf all joined in hands, chanting. Another attack barraged into me, but this one was different.

It wasn't Psychic, it was Psyshock, and a sensation like burning electricity shot like a bullet through my head.

It was cut abruptly off, though, and I pulled my hands away from my face. Uxie had been sent flying by a ferocious Knock Off by Kyurem and Regirock was going to meet him.

I leapt up and started pounding forwards, building up Agility and getting ready to use Extreme Speed. It wasn't my job to defeat as many as I could, it was my job to get the map.

I hit the ground like lightening and thundered forwards, each step making me go faster. I reached their front line and was almost stopped in my tracks by a Rock Smash from Terrakion, but I just managed to dodge and weave around behind him.

I was met by a full-on Body Slam from Regigigas and stumbled, losing valuable speed. But there was no going around this one. Or maybe there was?

Mewtwo burst around behind me and started throwing quick and fluid moves at Regigigas, but Regigigas matched his speed easily. But he was locked in, and I started charging off again.

I broke away. I was home free! I bolted through the forest, sprinting as hard as I could. Finally! I could get to-

I was met by a wall of blue. A very, very angry wall of blue.

Kyogre.

Kyogre roared and I wondered why I hadn't thought about where he was before, and I was nearly blown off the face of the earth by his Hyper Voice. It damaged my ears and I couldn't hear properly for a bit, so I had to survive on Aura to dodge his attacks. I got hit twice and felt myself losing strength, but I summoned the last of it in one Extreme Speed.

I just managed to get past him and broke off, and was surprised when he didn't follow me. That was when I sensed an Aura seconds behind me and slammed left before Xerneas pelted towards me, thundering like a storm. Her hooves hit the ground like a crack of thunder and her eyes were blazing. I swear, in all my life I have never seen a scarier sight.

Not even Kyogre when I insulted him, not Groudon looking at me like I killed his mother, but Xerneas when she was angry.

It was truly terrifying.

A Moonblast hit me like a brick wall – no, a brick wall that was on fire and made of ice at the same time. She whipped around and charged, her attack hitting me full-on. I stumbled back, and started to get desperate. What if she defeated me? Finn would have no chance then!

I got to my feet and faced her, clearing my vision. I was unprepared when she started shaking her horns, and I saw something fuzzy and yellow get flung from her antlers. I realised with horror that it was flying towards me. The Joltik hit me with a fully-charged Nuzzle, and I supposed that Xerneas had seen it charging and tried to get it off her. The Nuzzle paralysed me instantly and I froze, dropping to the ground. After the initial shock was over, I was able to move, but not easily. There was no way I was getting past Xerneas like this.

Then the Holy Grail of Luck came to me and tiny Shaymin broke through past Kyogre. I wasn't surprised; she was small, light, and ultimately unnoticeable. I could see Xerneas lined with indecision, but she turned to Shaymin, obviously thinking she'd be able to catch up with me once she'd dealt with her.

I was paralysed after all.

I stumbled to my feet and tripped over a fallen branch, getting a mouthful of dirt. But as I spat out the muddy mixture, I tasted something else in my mouth. It was sweet, bitter and a little sour. A taste I relished.

A Lum berry!

I chewed it up and swallowed as fast as I could, and got up, starting to run. I felt the paralysis wearing thin and my legs getting stronger, and I broke into a full-on run. I used the biggest Agility I could manage in my weak state, and put on a small burst of speed.

Then I reached the tree.

It was as beautiful as I remembered, and I was hit with a stab of guilt as I saw the indents in the dirt floor of the cave where I had lain when Celebi had taken care of me.

I realised she'd given me more of a chance than anyone else, she'd even gone to lengths to find out if it could be done. And what had I done to thank her?

I betrayed her, I threatened her family, I broke the trust she placed on me. But I was convinced I was doing the right thing. I had to save Finn before anyone else. Maybe it was selfish, maybe it was unthinkable. But maybe I was done listening to my head. Maybe I was ready to finally listen to my heart.

I had no idea where to start. The tree was huge and the Map could be hidden anywhere inside. I was worried that if I burned it to the ground then the map would burn too. Then my brain lit up with an idea, and I closed my eyes. My Aura sense came to life and I looked around with new perspective. With such power, I should be able to detect the map, and I searched the tree thoroughly. I found it, glowing faintly, and opened my eyes.

The map had been filled with time energy so it was detectable.

I climbed up the tree and onto one of the middle branches. I reached into a knothole and twisted my finger, which flicked a switch and opened the knothole wide enough to fit my arm in. I reached in and gingerly took out the piece of parchment, holding it in my hands reverently.

I heard screams and roars of pain rumbling over and heard a yawn and a groan as Kyogre fell. I heard three, scarily harmonious screams as the Guardians of the Lake were felled, and a defeated moan from Regigigas and Zekrom. I climbed down from the tree and looked at the map, but still listening to the sounds of battle. I heard the heart-wrenching scream of Mew as she was taken down and the defeated, hurt sound which escaped Virizion, Terrakion and Cobalion.

Then I heard the piercing scream of a voice which once protected the forests, the voice which had once sung such beauty.

Celebi was down.

Xerneas, wounded badly and limping, stumbled into the clearing, followed by Shaymin, Suicune and Raikou.

"Don't do it, Lucario!" she screamed, falling to her knees in front of me. "Do not! The world you bring Finn back into! Will not be the world you wish to see!" she sobbed.

With that, Raikou leapt on top of her, his paw poised menacingly above her neck. He stood there, growling. I raised the map.

It somehow seemed….alive.

"Take me to Finn," I whispered.

And then the world was gone.


	15. Back To The Past - lucario

I arrived in the Past with a blinding flash. I hit the ground with a sickening thud. I recognised the small huts and the large town hall looming in the distance. I crept slowly through the edge of the forest, the winter snow crinkling under. I heard a hushed murmur. I saw a young Lucario, barely evolved, lying on the ground, unconscious. An Abra was standing over him, as well as a bloody, bruised and wounded Finn. It was kind of Meta to see my younger self a few feet away. I felt the urge to run out and hug Finn, but I couldn't risk destroying more of time than I already had to. I looked up and saw a crack of black lightening split the sky. The piece of time was starting to break.

Nobody else seemed to have seen it, and they all packed up and went home. Finn, however, was still weeping over my fallen body and begging the Abra to wake me. But he refused, and walked away. I watched as he picked up my body and started walking away, into the forest.

I watched him quietly and followed him as he went deeper into the forest, and I felt a stab as he placed me under the roots of a cherry tree.

The cherry tree. His face was tear-streaked, but once I was laid down under the warm, comfortable roots where I would wake hundreds of years later, he didn't head back home. He started walking. Then he sensed me.

He whipped around, a dagger at the ready, his blue eyes flashing. "Who followed me?" he shouted. "I swear, reveal yourself or I'll kill you! If you've come to make me stay home, I'm not. I'm leaving. For good!"

I was older, peoples aura changed with their age and with their experiences.

"I know." I made my way out of the trees slowly, and came into the sunlight. He dropped his dagger and staggered back. His gaze shifted from me to the unconscious me and back again.

"Lu—Lucario?" he asked, incredulous.

"It's me. I'm from the future," I said. "I've come to take you back with me, so that we can be together for the rest of time."

"But Lucario—" he looked back at the unconscious me.

To say the least Finn was a little astonished.

"I won't wake up for hundreds of years," I said gently. He looked saddened, then looked at me.

"You look bigger. Stronger. The Lucario you always aspired to be. You're from the future?"

"Yes."

"Take me back. I'll go. I want to stay with you, whichever one of you it is. Present or future, I want to always be with you." He pulled me into a tight hug. "Always and forever."

I smiled, a tear trickling down my face. I hugged him tight, and felt years, centuries, of sadness, anxiety and loneliness fall away. I felt more and more strength and happiness come back to me.

Almost involuntarily, I broke away, and took out the Time Map. He looked at it, then back at me.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.

"I fought at least two dozen legendries to get this," I replied. He looked astounded and disbelieving. "I wouldn't have done that if I wasn't sure." I looked at the map, holding Finn tightly to my side.

"Take us home," I said.

And we were gone.


	16. A Different World - lucario

p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"At first, the afterglow from the brightness of the travel left me blinded, I had the feeling like I has just been put into confusion while paralysed. Finn was stumbling around, looking really sick. He must be even stronger than I thought. I remembered when I had first time-travelled. I'd been completely unconscious./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Seeing his stumble and try to figure out which way was up made me realises how much I actually missed him./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"I couldn't wait to show Finn my world. All of the legendries who'd/span/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"helped this happen, who were all good and amazing and had so many incredible/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"abilities. I couldn't wait to show him the lush, green Ilex Forest where Celebi resided….I had been hit with a wave of guilt, I had almost definitely erased her most beloved friend in the universe, and I couldn't show my face to her again./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Well then I'll just show him the bustling cities that seemed to be/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"everywhere. The perfect blue sky, the white, fluffy clouds, everything./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"But when my vision cleared, my world that I so wished to show him was.../span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"gone./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"The ground was black and charred, every tree was like a twisted/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"skeleton. The sky was tinged red and covered in smoke, not a single fluffy white cloud to be seen. The city that we should have been in was not bustling and full of life. The buildings were destroyed and on fire, and I could see terrified faces peering out from under makeshift homes made of rubble and rocks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Finn had recovered./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"But I had just gone back into shock./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Lucario?" he said, sounding shocked. "This… this can't be the/span/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"world you talked about."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"It was most definitely not the world I remembered./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""It's not," I trembled, and then out of nowhere a blinding flash of light streaked into Finn and me, sending us shooting backwards. A Body Slam. But it wasn't as bad as any I'd ever seen, more a gentle knock than a slam. But it knocked us into a cove under a building, and our oppressor stood to face us. I whirled around, fists up, ready to attack, and Finn was by my side in seconds. But when I saw who it was, I nearly cried with relief, it felt fantastic to see a familiar face in this place that was so unfamiliar./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Xerneas./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Then a thought stuck me, she might not be as happy to see me as I was to see her./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"As I guessed Xerneas was not nearly so happy to see me. I could see it in her eyes and I had the strange feeling that I might need to defend myself and Finn soon./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""It's all your fault," she hissed. Her body was covered in scratches and burns, and her normal fairy like glow had gone out. "The world is/span/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"like this because of you."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""What? But I didn't-"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Yes you did!" she jeered. Finn had still not let down his guard,/span/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"but I could see he was both in awe of Xerneas and looking at me, wondering what I'd done wrong to make the world this bad./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""You destroyed the piece of time when Sam saved Celebi."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""So?" I asked, curious. How had that changed the world into this/span/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"chaotic place?/spanspan /spanspan style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Xerneas sighed. "Celebi didn't tell you what Sam saved her from,/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"did she?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""No…" there was a growing pit forming in my stomach./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Xerneas took in a deep breath. "I hope you're ready for the truth./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Celebi was being chased by hunters with a Houndoom back in time. Sam came forwards and nearly got himself killed, but Celebi sang and teleported him forwards in time with her./span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"spanspan style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"That's when they met Ash. After a while, they became incredible friends, but a second hunter found them. He captured Celebi in a Dark Ball, which turned her instantly Evil./span /spanspan style="white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Celebi used her powers to begin destroying the forest, and her/span/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"hunter played her like a puppet. She was a slave in her own body, and her incredible powers - you don't even know. Because of the dark ball she became more powerful than anyone but Deoxys, Rayquaza and Arceus. If any of us took her head-on, we'd still win because of her compassion. She hates war, she hates hurting. But once that was gone, she was so powerful she created a huge ball of pure dead forestry and/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"power. It was as big as a building and her capturer used her and it to destroy her forest./span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""What was /spanemspan style="white-space: pre-wrap;"supposed/span/emspan style="white-space: pre-wrap;" to happen is Sam was supposed to come into the/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"scene then, and climb to the centre of the power to Celebi and make her/span span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"remember. Bring her out of the trance and save her. Then the Darkness would have been gone, the hunter defeated and Celebi would have died hadn't every other Celebi from the past and the future come to the site and h/spanspanspan style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"ealed her. "But you destroyed that piece of time. Celebi wasn't saved. Celebi was used, she became fully dark and corrupted. The hunter began conquest of the world, and every time the legendries tried to stop him, they didn't come together, and each one was captured, one by one. He started in Johto, and Entei was the first one other than Celebi. Then Raikou, then Suicune. Then he moved onto Kanto, Kalos… everywhere. Yveltal, Zekrom, even the Regis. I'm…" Xerneas suddenly looked u/spanspan style="font-size: 14pt;"p, exhausted. Years of running and fighting suddenly showed on her face. "I'm the last one left."/span/span/span/p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;" /p  
p style="margin: 0cm; margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Fear and sorrow gripped me like iron bands./span/p 


	17. The Resistance - Xerneas

After three years of running, fighting and battling, most of my anger at Lucario had ebbed to a simmer. Finn seemed actually quite nice and wanted to help in any way he could, and I could see that Finn and Lucario got along really well and really cared about each other. But it was no reason to destroy the world…

I had taken them through the city to show them the destruction. Lucario had looked horrified, terrified and very, very afraid. The sight of that would make anyone uncomfortable I wonder how it would feel to cause it.

Finn looked scared, and kept looking at Lucario not quite accusingly but more wondering. If Celebi had been there, she would have told me what was going on in his head.

But Celebi was gone now.

And it was his fault.

I led them to my main base, where I was leading the Resistance fight. The Rebels were made up of humans and their Pokémon, and all had seen at least one loved one die.

It was impossible to live in this world and not.

I was worried if I told them who Lucario and Finn really were they wouldn't live to see the next morning. I would have said 'sunrise', but the sky is so hazy with smoke you can't even see it.

I hadn't thought how beautiful the sun really was before. The smoke was thinning. Some thought it was a good thing, but as soon as the smoke grows thin, the Hunter comes back to destroy what little we had achieved.

He never completely destroyed us, I believe he thinks it's a game, destroying our hope over and over again.

"He does a regular circuit, and always uses the Legendries of that particular region to make the decimation all the more painful. Every time the smoke is almost thin enough to see the sun, he appears with Entei, Raikou, Suicune and Celebi."

"The Three Johto Dogs lead the way. First comes Suicune who covers the place in water. Her fur isn't light, pure blue anymore. It's dark grey with silver dappled spots. Next is Raikou who electrifies the water, starting fires and causing unstable buildings to topple. His plume of purple behind him is black as night, and his eyes red as fire. After him comes Entei, who burns anything still standing. His brown coat is black as midnight. Then, finally, comes Celebi, who, inside a massive ball of dead and twisted plants, bulldozes anything who has had the great fortune to still be alive.

"Nobody knows what she looks like now, or if there's a way to save her. She is completely protected inside her ball and… the only person who could even maybe reach her was Sam Oak. And he… he's long gone now."

"Why could only Sam help her?" Finn asked.

"His blood had time energy in it, as he was a human who travelled with her, time energy doesn't stay in Pokémon bodies, Celebi and Dialga are the exception. But it does in humans. The time energy in Sam's body allowed him to make a connection to her and he was able to reach her but now because of you Lucario that won't happen."

I wasn't sure exactly what Finn had planned, but he was silent and constantly had a concentrating expression on his face. He listened to everything I told him carefully and seemed to be making mental notes the whole time. I wasn't too worried; he was smart enough not to do anything stupid and he had a good sense of justice. The other people and Pokémon here seemed to trust him, and I have to admit, I did too.

That night, I stood watch outside the front of the base. It was really just the basement of a large building, probably a shopping centre at one point because there were boxes of food everywhere. We'd survived on those so far.

The sky was navy-black and the red haze of the day was hidden by the darkness. I thought I could see the slightest glimpse of a ray of light, maybe from the moon we hadn't seen in years. I dismissed the thought, then saw it again. Then it became a true ray, slicing through the clouds and straight onto me. It was cool and shivery, and I felt myself growing stronger. This was not normal light. Arceus was helping the resistance! I felt wounds closing up and bruises fading, and my strength growing slowly in power. I closed my eyes and willed with ally might, sending the strongest telepathic connection I could up through that moonbeam. Thinking, trying to send a message, it hurt badly, so I concentrated on a message.

Arceus, you have returned.

A deep, wounded and sorrowful voice answered. Xerneas.

I nearly leapt for joy as I felt the connection established, and smiled. She had taught me well. Cele-

Arceus, we are in great need of your help. All of the other legendries have bee-

I know. But a saviour will come. The suffering will end soon and the timeline will be fixed. At a cost, yes, but a cost well worth. Do not give up, sanctuary is days away. Your faith has always astounded me, Xerneas, as did few other legendries. Keep your faith alive.

"Thank you…" I whispered, and the connection was gone. I stood up and saw, to my surprise, the ground beneath me lit up. The moonbeam was gone, though! Then I looked at my hooves. My gaze travelled up my legs, my tail, my body, then to my antlers.

My Power Glow was back.

I was back.


	18. A plan - Finn

p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"strongspan style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"sorry i haven't been updating, school is hell/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"strongspan style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"I had never missed anyone as much as I missed Lucario the day I lost him. Never felt more loss, not even the day my mother died. But I wondered, was it my fault that all of this had happened? That the world was as destroyed as it was? That the sky that had been blue once was now red and smoky?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"I couldn't help wondering that if I hadn't accepted Lucario's offer… would all of this have been avoided, how many people died because of me? I decided that I had to do something. I looked at the map in Lucario's sleeping paws and sighed. I couldn't go back in time, I didn't know much about time travel but messing with it would only make the situation even worse. But what if someone else could?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"I carefully got up, not making a sound. I crept over sleeping Resistance members and wove my way to the entrance. Carefully navigating around sleeping Pokémon. There was an unusual glow coming from outside and I was instantly on my guard. I pulled out a dagger and walked silently through the exit. What I saw was not a danger, it was a liberty. It was life and hope rebirth./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Xerneas./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"She was glowing the way the legends said she did, her antlers huge, splayed and emanating light. This was not the determined, war-torn, beaten creature I had seen a day earlier. This was a proud, powerful, royal creature who demanded respect./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Xerneas… what happened?" I asked. Xerneas turned around to look at me. Her eyes were soft, like Lucario had said they were, not hard and steely the way they had been yesterday. I had only understood her yesterday because a little girl's Kadabra had been using his psychic powers to twist her words into my language, so though she had understood me perfectly, I couldn't understand her./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"She walked forwards on her delicate hooves which had been split and hard hours earlier, and gently touched my cheek with the tip of her antler. A fuzzy, magical feeling rushed through me and I felt understanding and knowledge I would never be able to understand flow through me, and I looked up at the magical beast before me. Her voice flowed like a river and was so gentle it reminded one of freshly fallen snow./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Arceus," she said. "He told me that salvation is coming, and that within days, time will be fixed. He restored me to what I was before the Wars and before… before Lucario."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"I had been curious for a while, but had been scared to ask the question in front of Lucario. "What did he do?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"And Xerneas told me everything. From his break-in to Dialga's temple to the Battle at the Ilex Forest Meadow. It hurt so much to know that I was the reason so many people were dead and in pain. It hurt so much, but there was a part of me that knew no matter how many people died, that Lucario would put his life in danger so many times. Just for me. Not even my father, before I had met Lucario, would do anything close to that to save me. But maybe there was a way to fix it. To fix everything./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Celebi is a Pokémon of Time Travel, right?" I asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Yes…" Xerneas looked suddenly sad and defeated. "She was my best friend."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Maybe… maybe I can fix this," I said slowly. "If I can ask Arceus to help me, I can try to get to Celebi and… I think I have a way to fix her. I could die trying, but it will kill me anyway. So if I get her out of her evil state, and you can heal her. Then she can go back in time and repair the damage that Lucario caused."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Xerneas looked at me with her gentle eyes. "But Finn… How are you going to save Celebi in the first place?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Lucario taught me a thing or two, and I him. I have a way." I was determined to fix everything, and Xerneas smiled. I have never seen a more thankful, grateful and truly beautiful smile./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""You realise you're sacrificing yourself for the rest of the world?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Yes." Then I walked away, and as soon as I was out of her presence, I started to think. How was I going to get to Celebi? I needed to be really close to initiate the change. Hmm… Then I had an idea. Xerneas had said that the Hunter and his beasts came when the smoke was thinnest, when you thought you could almost see the sun. That could be any time from now until tomorrow evening. I needed a plan. Fast./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Morning approached faster./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"In the morning, I was sent with Lucario and several other Pokémon and humans to look for food and scavenge whatever we could. Each trip fed the Resistance another day, so I took the job seriously. I found some unspoilt Miltank milk and a big sack of berries, and Lucario found a big jar of candy for the little ones./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"When we returned, I was nearly bowled over by a two streaks of lightening that were so fast I didn't have two seconds to even register them before they had disappeared into Xerneas's quarters. I looked at the blazing trail they had left and realised it had been a Joltik and a Jolteon. Xerneas came out, galloping, and the Joltik streaked out and up to the top of the building. A screech like a clap of thunder rang out as at least three Cricketones started playing like their lives depended on it, and horns blared./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""He's here!" someone yelled, and suddenly everyone was scrambling for cover. We all squeezed into the basement, and everyone seemed to want to be in the middle. Lucario and I were shoved to the edge, right next to a window. I was terrified. This was it. Xerneas and I had discussed what would happen tonight, and the smoke was now so thin that I could see the gloomy outline of the moon. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Just like Xerneas had said, everything went quiet, and a gentle hopping sound rang through the silence. Suicune's sound. I cast a quick glance out of the window and saw a heart-wrenching sight./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Suicune's pelt was dark grey, and matted like a dog dragged through a puddle. She leapt along, cords of water whipping around her and lashing at everything. An unlucky Furret was spotted, and without even hesitating, Suicune grabbed it in her jaws and flung it into the air, whipping one of her tendrils around to slam it into a building. She bounded forwards, each step splashing the earth with water. I watched as the water he had once purified turned to acid, and one of the buildings, its last supports eaten away by the acidic water, groaned and collapsed on itself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Next, exactly as Xerneas had predicted, was Raikou. A whisper was building up behind me as Xerneas told everyone the plan, and Lucario nodded as a Glaceon whispered it into his ear. But I was transfixed by the horrible sight I saw before me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Raikou had bounded into the centre of the city, the plumes of purple normally flowing behind him were deathly black and his eyes ablaze and red. He let out a rumbling roar, and stamped a paw. Electricity burst from each of his paws, leaping and scarring everywhere they could from water to water. It spread all over the city like deadly snakes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Then came Entei. He was even more magnificent than I had been told, but his pelt was like midnight and his eyes not the merciful warrior's, but the intimidating tyrant's. He roared and leapt through the city, fire blasting from his mouth and setting everything ablaze. I heard screams and cries but forced myself to wait. None of this will ever happen if everything goes according to plan./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Then the city was silent./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"I heard a crunching noise. At first it was barely noticeable, but it grew steadily louder until it was a roar of crashing and breaking. A huge ball as big as a building made of black, dead branches all interlocking crawled into view. A screech like drawing a long claw across a new chalk board, but more like eerie music, accompanied the crunching of the ball. It was unearthly, and I saw Lucario go pale. I realised that it was Celebi's song, only twisted and contorted beyond recognition./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Then Xerneas yelled, and the attack began./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Swarms of the Resistance came barrelling out of the building - how were there so many? - With their Pokémon and any weapons they could find. Nine people and their Pokémon split into three groups and distracted the Johto Dogs. The rest of the horde headed towards Groudon, who Xerneas had mentioned was the Hunter's favourite. The Hunter himself was standing atop his head, and he was momentarily frozen as he watched the swarm of people and Pokémon begin to envelop the roads. For just a moment, Celebi's ball stopped./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"That was our cue./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Xerneas streaked towards me, a glowing trail left in her wake. I leaped into the air, backflipping, grabbed her antlers while upside-down and landed squarely on her back. Lucario was distracted, the bunch holding off Raikou were in trouble and he'd gone to help. Now was the time. emLucario, forgive me,/em I thought, and Xerneas streaked away towards the ball of death./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Xerneas put on a burst of speed, and we were going so fast my hair felt like it would be whipped out of my skull. And that was only using Agility. Then she used Extreme Speed, and I was hanging onto her antlers for dear life, my body streaming behind me. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"She gathered her surprisingly strong legs under her and leaped up, streaking more than halfway up the building-sized ball, landing precariously on a branch. The Hunter had woken from his trance and pulled out some black pokeballs with dark purple borders, and threw them. I was sickened to the stomach as little Shaymin, Keldeo and Phione were thrown forwards, all with grotesque new features and morphed colours./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""GO!" Xerneas roared as the ball began moving again. The Hunter was too busy with the Resistance to notice me, but that wouldn't last long. Xerneas leapt off to go help the resistance, and I slipped through a gap in some branches./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"The inside of the Ball was spiderweb of branches and twigs, all coming from the centre. I saw a pale, glowing light coming from the centre and I slipped over branches, weaving my way towards the centre. I slipped several times and almost fell twice, but eventually got to the centre. The sight hit me like a stab in the chest./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Celebi's eyes were not the vibrant blue that Lucario had described. They had no irises and the pupils had shrunk to dots. Her skin was pale, pale green and even white in some places, and the dark rings around her eyes that normally marked her as cute and friendly were thinner and more like bags under her eyes. Her pupils were fixed in place, not looking at me. Looking straight through me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Celebi?" I whispered. Her gaze shifted to me. Vines slowly started to crawl towards me, and some wrapped around my feet. This was now. This was the time. I closed my eyes and started drawing all my power, all my Aura, all of my life, into one ball of energy. I heard Lucario scream as the bond we shared snapped, as I drew all of it into me. I heard him yell, realising what I was doing, and desperately running./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Then I felt the first thing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"A dark pulse rang through the land. The skies turned black as night. Celebi froze, and her vines with it. I heard the scream of a captured Legend as the last legendary still breathing good air became evil. As the darkness consumed the last one./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Xerneas was gone./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"I forced myself to keep going. I kept drawing in my power, even as the vines lifted me off my branch and began to constrict around my body. I felt myself slowly being crushed by the strong vines as they tightened around me, slowly but surely breaking me. I felt one of my leg bones snap, then the second one. But I didn't feel pain. I drew all of my consciousness into one ball of my spirit./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"I was faintly aware of one last thing. Lucario had been captured. I felt darkness beginning to invade me along with the blue lightning crackling and snapping around me, but I wasn't giving up. This would all never happen if I could just…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Then I released it. My life. My Aura. I sent it spiralling, a blue light among the darkness. I sent it into Celebi./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Xeneas said that time energy bonds with human souls, so I'll give her all the time energy I have, I'll give her my soul./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;"span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"Her eyes turned blue. Her skin flashed back to green. She sucked in a deep breath as I absorbed the darkness inside her. Before I was killed by the sheer force of it, I said one last thing to Celebi./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: normal;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;""Tell Lucario I'm sorry."/span/p 


	19. Fixing the Future - celebi

I took a deep, sucking breath of fresh air for the first time in years. It was good to actually be able to control my own body. But it felt like it was made out of brick. When I was being controlled it was like I was a passenger in my own body able to watch as I destroyed the world but not able to stop myself. I was the last one left, and I knew what I had to do. If I didn't mend the time stream quickly, then Finn's sacrifice would have been for nothing. I whispered instructions to my vines and they seemed to…well nod, and the ball I was inside started moving again. I needed the Hunter to believe I was still under his control until I had the strength to sing again. It wouldn't be long, just a little longer.

I flew quickly and quietly out from my ball, zipping through the war-torn city. It broke something inside me to know that I had caused all of this pain and suffering.

This was my work.

But I couldn't tell myself that.

I kept flying until I came to the skeletal remains of Ilex Forest, and I zipped as fast as I could through towards the shrine that the humans had made me. It wouldn't take long.

When I arrived, I found my Cherry Tree barely intact. It was no longer the huge branching tree I had left it. It was a small twig, just a sapling, and the pink leaves were nibbled around the edges. I smiled softly and stroked its stem, before closing my eyes and drawing the very last of my reserves of power and singing.

The song sounded like a flute. It was a song of healing, a song of love and nurturing. The sky rippled and slowly began turning blue, Finn's Aura was burning strong within me. This song should reverse what happened, it had to. I heard a roar and a yell, and Suicune, back to normal, bounded into the clearing. She touched my antennae with the tip of her nose and I felt new strength surge through me. I sang louder, my voice vibrating through the forest, and well outside Johto. Beyond Johto, beyond Kanto… even beyond Kalos. But not into the time stream just yet.

With cawing screeches, four enormous birds, restored to their former glory, came soaring down. I felt fire surround me like a shield, but it didn't burn and didn't hurt. Ice streaked down and enveloped me a second time, and a shield of electricity roared up. Three shields surrounded me, one from Moltres, Articuno and Zapdos. Rainbow flames rocketed down and struck me, a piercing shriek confirming it was Ho-Oh. One by one, the legends returned from their deformed, dark selves. Power was pushed into me, more and more, until there was so much I didn't know what to do with it. By then my song was so loud, and so harmonious, that the trees were growing back. The cities were rebuilding themselves. Since when could I do that? And the people slowly forgetting about the time that never should have happened.

Then I zapped into the time stream.

It was a literal stream in space, its waters rainbow-hued. It ran through space and didn't end, and when I flew closer, I saw things inside. Memories. Choices. I watched a little girl chase after a hamster, then it rewinded and she chose not to chase it. This was the time stream… It was so beautiful. All of the stars reflected in its crystalline water, so pure and clean not even Suicune could have matched it.

I flew along slowly, the tiny movement of my wings creating ripples in the water. I flew until I came to a break, a sliver of the stream missing. It looked like someone had thrown an invisible rock in the stream, causing the waters to divide around it. On one side of it, I saw Lucario choosing to pick up the map and use it. On the other side, I saw me being captured and the world being destroyed because of it. I looked for the piece of time which held Sam and him saving me, but it wasn't there.

I flew downwards, and on the floor of the space like place I saw a sliver of the stream as big as myself. It was almond-shaped but smooth, like a rainbow and clear gelatine slice. I looked into it and saw him. Sam. He had reached the ball of blackness and I watched as he climbed it, a lump in my throat. Tears came to my eyes as I watched him reach for me, grab me, hold me close and cry, making me remember. Saving me.

I gently picked up the slice of the time stream and lifted it. It was light as air, and I slowly brought it up. I flew through the hole in the timestream, then lifted the sliver and slid it into place. It joined seamlessly into place, but wouldn't stay. I sung gently to it, and white light began to emanate from one corner. I sang louder, and more of the crack began to glow. I sang and sang, my melodies flooding the time stream with new light. I watched as Lucario's image, of him taking the time map, slowly go backwards. It reversed quickly, him sprinting through the battle, then talking to the legendries, then back at the meeting and all the way back to Dialga's temple. Just before he entered, the crack became completely glowing, and the waters of the time stream began to flow again, through it, not around it.

I splashed into the time stream right before the Alakazam opened the portal.

"No, Lucario!" I shouted, and I saw him staring at me. Back in the desert. The Alakazam hesitated. I flew slowly up to the younger Lucario.

"You're… you're Celebi!" he said, his eyes wide.

That astonished look in his eyes never stopped amazing me.

"This one decision you're making…" I said gently. "It will destroy the future. In the future, you _do_ bring him back. You bring Finn back. But when you get back to your world, it isn't your world any more. It's black, bleak and destroyed. He… he gives his life to save the world. Don't kill Finn, Lucario. You may think you're saving him. You're condemning him. Let his memory, his life, his _Aura_ live in you."

Before he even had time to register it, I was gone. Now that I had done it, I could get back to the place without space or time easily, and I returned to the present.


	20. The Three Legends - celebi

**The last chapter. This might be a bit cheesy but thank you to anyone who ever read my story or enjoyed it!**

When I returned to the past with a blinding light and a headache, time sickness for me should say a lot about what state the timeline was in.

All of them were there. Even some of the Pasto-legendries had made it, like Zoroark and Absol. Only Pokémon with great power and the ones that lined up with the events of the time change will be able to remember. Lucario was there. So was Dialga. In the clearing were all of them, including Arceus and Deoxys. They were all applauding me, standing in a guard of honour. Arceus, Lucario and Dialga were standing at a raised dais where Dialga's Time Orb was sitting. Lucario had a wishful look in his eye for a moment, before catching me starting and then smiled at me. I flew up the aisle of Pokémon. Those who hadn't been on my side in the war looked ashamed, but I just flew up to them and smiled gratefully. Truth be told if it was another legendary and I had to pick a side, I would be no easy choice. They looked relieved and I smiled, tears in my eyes. I reached the Dais and Arceus spoke.

"Today, yesterday and tomorrow were all put in jeopardy. It was not selfishness which put it in danger, it was love. And love is blind. But today - or yesterday, whichever you prefer - Celebi showed true passion, and we pause today to remember Finn, without which we would not be standing here ourselves today. We must remember that time would be noting without people to share it with."

Everyone was silent. Lucario was barely holding back tears, and Xerneas, who had told him of Finn's brave sacrifice, was outright sobbing. Some of the legendries were silent, others whispered the legend of Finn to the others who had been inside dark balls when the boy how cared more of all them himself had saved them all. The word spread and I thought that perfect, Finn should be remembered forever.

"Finn saved us all," said Xerneas. "And Lucario, though what you did was foolish and blind, it was true loyalty, love and kindness, which most of us will never have the good fortune to possess. You, in destroying the world, showed us all what lengths people and Pokémon like you will go through to help those you love."

The crowd of legends applauded, cheering and whooping. Dialga ducked his head and looked a little ashamed, before walking forwards and picking up the Time Orb.

"Since I have blindly followed and helped destroy the timeline I am supposed to be the guardian of, I see now that though I am powerful, I am not fit to guard this sacred thing alone So, as the Guardian of Time I asked you to help me defend it, Lucario. The first Pasto- Legendary to ever have the honour."

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Xerneas shot glittering confetti into the air. I smiled and applauded too. Dialga would obviously still be doing important legend business (like dealing with Giratina!) and such even a fighter like Lucario couldn't handle her, but Dialga will have a little help being the guardian of time. Lucario looked at the Time Orb and smiled.

"Dialga, I'm afraid I cannot sit in a temple all day guarding this. I need to move, it's who I am. Dialga smiled, he had not been one to sit around ether but I'm sure the two of them will figure something out.

The crowd of legendries went nuts and Dialga beamed. Arceus nodded approvingly and I clapped until my hands hurt.

Once the ceremony was over, there was one last thing I had to do. I congratulated Lucario and forgave him for everything. Then I went back into the place of the timestream. I travelled back a long way until I saw a little house in a small village, and a brown-haired boy dancing around the lake which had once saved my life. I dove in.

I smiled, and flew above the little boy. This was a year after Sam had saved my life. I went and sat down on a branch, and grinned broadly. I sang a small, quick "Bripideepi!" and Sam whipped around. He saw me and cried out, and bolted towards me. I leapt off my branch and zipped towards him.

"Celebi!" he cried, and wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug. I squeezed him back as best I could.

"Sam!" He couldn't understand me, but he got the message all the same. Tears trickled down his face and some of my own onto me. I squeezed my eyes shut, then broke away. I twirled around his head, giggling. He laughed and splashed me with some water, and I splashed him back. Playing with Sam made me realise that I would have destroyed the timeline for him, as Lucario would for Finn.

Until nightfall we played, told stories and stole berries, and when the stars came out, Sam nearly cried. I looked him in the eyes and gave him a few seconds of being able to understand me.

"I live in time," I said. He looked surprised, then soothed. My voice has that effect on people. "I will be able to visit you tomorrow years later, and yesterday in a few minutes."

He nodded, and unlike most people, didn't seem confused. He trusted me. "I'll miss you, whenever you come back," he said, reaching out and squeezing me in a tight hug. A tear trickled from his eye, and one from mine.

"Bee…" I said to him. He smiled softly and backed away into the trees, then ran for his home. His village wasn't far away.

I looked around. I saw the lake, glittering in the moonlight, and Suicune, who nodded at me as she leapt across the lake. I saw the stars through the gentle waves of the trees, and I felt their own song gently being sung to me. I saw some furrets scurry by, and knew this was my world. Sam was my world.

And with that, a melody rang through the forest. A sweet, soft sound, being ricocheted off everything. It echoed through the forest and people all around from in the forest to the villages on the edge listened quietly, and each told the legend.

The legend of Celebi, the Voice of the Forest. The legend of Lucario, the One who believed. And the Legend of Finn, the one who sacrificed everything.


End file.
